


Digimon Adventure: The Alternate Destiny - Kizuna

by HappytheExceed



Series: Digimon Adventure - The Alternate Destiny Series [6]
Category: Digimon Adventure, Digimon Adventure Last Evolution Kizuna - Fandom, Digimon Adventure Zero Two | Digimon Adventure 02, Digimon Adventure tri.
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Angst and Drama, Blood and Injury, Character Death, Coma, F/M, Fate & Destiny, Human Experimentation, Memory Loss, Serious Injuries, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:35:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 23
Words: 91,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22574908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HappytheExceed/pseuds/HappytheExceed
Summary: [AU FROM THE SETTING OF KIZUNA] Chosen Children were not supposed to recall their adventure after separating from their Digimon. This is a story from a different dimension whereby those before Taichi's group got to retain memories of their adventures. Can Taichi find a breakthrough against his dreadful destiny in this dimension?Written based on various characters' point of view.
Relationships: Ichijouji Ken/Inoue Miyako | Yolei Inoue, Ishida Yamato | Matt Ishida/Takenouchi Sora, Mochizuki Meiko/Yagami Taichi | Tai Kamiya
Series: Digimon Adventure - The Alternate Destiny Series [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/433858
Comments: 20
Kudos: 14





	1. Side: Yamato

**Author's Note:**

> Author's note: This story acts in the premise set in my other story, "Digimon Adventure 02: The Alternate Destiny" series where Taichi was killed by Piemon what if Taichi didn't appear in 02 but after Tri instead.
> 
> I have only read bits of spoilers when I wrote this. The events will be different from the movie.
> 
> Settings:
> 
> \- In each and every dimensions, Taichi will die when his wish is granted except the one and only dimension where the Crest of Miracles exists but not the Crest of Darkness.  
> \- This is a dimension that will change things.  
> \- Menoa and Yamada were Chosen Children from Daigo and Maki's team  
> \- Milleniumon had some influence in this dimension
> 
> Digimon is not mine. 

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yamato discovered some nasty secrets hidden behind some people and related to Taichi thought to be dead.

**Digimon Adventure: The Alternate Destiny - Kizuna**

_Chosen Child was only summoned when they were needed to save the Digital World. Until then, there was no need for human partners. Digimon and human could not stay together during time of peace. It had been like this._

_Human partners were never able to recall their adventure after separating from their Digimon after their mission. Their sadness had been recorded and saved in the server known as the Vault. Finally there came a group of Chosen Children which were allowed to retain their memories after their adventure. That just meant that child's wish had came true and he had appeared in this era. Only that particular one that had his wish truly came true was the one the Crest of Miracle would appear to._

_This is a story told in a different dimension where the Chosen Children from the past or present got to retain their past memories of their adventures except those who died from their missions._

* * *

**Side: Yamato**

_Ishida Yamato panted. He had finally reached Neverland. Ahead of him, there was another person. He watched as he extended his hand reaching out to the sky where the sun was. He was leaving them, no him again and Yamato was determined to stop him._

_"Taichi, don't go! TAICHI!" Yamato approached the summit of the hill and attempted to reach out for him. He was not going to give up on Taichi without a fight. Taichi turned to him giving him a warm and peaceful smile as the bright light engulfed them._

"Aniki?" Yamato woke up. He covered his eyes with his arms.

"Aniki? Are you alright? You look as though you had a nightmare." Yamato attempted to wipe his tears with his sleeves before revealing himself to a worried looking Takeru.

It had been a week since the battle with Eosmon. Everything had resumed to what it used to be, it seems, except for Yamato and his friends. Their time with their Partner Digimon was up. Gabumon was gone, Agumon was gone and even Taichi… Yamato could not believe it. He fought alongside with Taichi.

"Takeru, what brought you here?" Yamato sat down on his bed. Patamon was peeking over his shoulder worriedly as well.

"I haven't hear from you from the messages I had sent, so I came over." Takeru responded as he stood up.

"Sorry, Takeru. I need some time to myself." Yamato admitted looking at his stretched palm. Takeru nodded in understanding. His brother had become a hero overnight having rescued the lost Chosen Children from "Neverland" from Eosmon.

"How is everybody?" Yamato asked getting ready to cook. He would make breakfast for the both of them. Their father had gone to work which left the two of them.

"I saw Hikari in lecture. Mimi-san was discharged. So is Jyou-san and Koushirou-san." Takeru started rattling on. "Sora-san is not captured so Aniki you need not worry about her."

"I haven't seen Daisuke and the rest. I wonder what were they up to?" Takeru wondered sitting at the dining table watching his brother who just cracked an egg on a sizzling pan.

" _How is… Taichi doing?"_ Yamato wanted to ask but gave up. Why will he want to ask about him? _"That's right. Takeru wouldn't know. "_ He would end up with more questions than answers.

"I'm wondering how Hikari is? She was staring at the whistle in a daze. It was something she found herself holding when she first woke up. I seen her staring at it in lecture too." Takeru continued. Yamato smiled.

That whistle was something he left for her. Yamato watched him whispering to Hikari who was unconscious.

" _Live on. Live on my behalf."_

* * *

***Flashback***

_A week ago…_

_Mochizuki Meiko and Yamato ran hard. The battle had ended. Both Agumon and Gabumon was gone. Meiko was a pseudo partner of Agumon since Meicoomon left them. Agumon was very protective and willing to assist her. He had after all declared that he liked Meiko very much and wanted to stay by her side. Ichijouji Ken had been supportive and assist her to obtain the partnership with Agumon._

_They had reached the hospital where the medical team was trying hard to resuscitate a patient with big brown hair. Yamato could never forget him as long as he lived. He is Yagami Taichi who perished in the Digital World eleven years ago. Yamato watched Meiko who watched the medical team working to restart his heart. As he suspected, she was more involved than they had thought._

* * *

" _He confronted her and was shot." A male adult in suit informed Meiko when she first arrived in the hospital before the final battle with Eosmon. He wanted to stop her from continuing her quest to collect the Chosen Children's consciousness._

" _Nishijima would not want to see her becoming the second Himekawa." It was one of the Chosen Children who was chosen with Nishijima Daigo and Himekawa Maki behind the scene._

" _I should have stop her, I'm sorry." The man in his early 30s apologised to Meiko in the waiting area in the hospital. The surgery was still going on. The man found Taichi lying in a pool of blood applying pressure with his hand on his wound in despair at Koushirou's office. Koushirou was already unconscious before the scuffle happened._

* * *

" _Hang on." The man cradled Taichi on his lap. His blood was seeping through his finger as he attempted to stop his bleeding from his wound._

" _I couldn't… stop… her… I let Nishijima-san down…" Taichi tried to get his words out while coughing out blood._

_Despite going through the surgery and the bullet was removed. Taichi was in critical condition being shot in his heart. His consciousness was taken by Eosmon as well._

* * *

" _Taichi-san was a friend introduced by Nishijima from the Incorporated Administrative Agency and I'm to be his first friend when he woke up in this world." Meiko watched him through window of the in ICU where he laid and he was hooked up with a number of machine monitoring his condition. Meiko shuddered and slide down the wall breaking down in tears._

_Meiko had read his profile before even getting to know him in person. Since Nishijima's death in the Digital World, he had left his petty inheritance to support the Chosen Children who was reconfigured from the reboot of the Digital World. As Dark Gennai had declared that Yggdrasil was using reboot to revive the evil Digimon who had perished against them, he would take this chance to retrieve the deleted Chosen Children and that was how Nishijima chanced upon Taichi who was experimented with by Himekawa and Professor Mochizuki was also involved._

_Taichi woke up in the hospital not knowing who he was. All he knows was his name, Taichi and Nishijima Daigo whom he had never met would be his guardian. Taichi had been given a new identity Kamiya Taichi and to blend into the society as fast as he could._

_Taichi had been travelling around the world in various school and got into university in five years. During this period Meiko had been in touch with him. In fact, Agumon was the one who had been talking to him over the phone when she was busy, knowing him by Kamiya. They got along really well. Agumon claimed that he would not mind if he became Meiko's boyfriend which Meiko denied in embarrassment._

" _Without his consciousness, he won't be able to last much longer." Dr. Kido and her father analysed Taichi's worsening condition._

_Meiko finally decided to tell Yamato and Agumon about Taichi before their planned attack in Neverland to deal with Eosmon so that they could help him. Agumon was especially shocked. To think Taichi was so close to them and Yamato simply couldn't convince himself that Taichi indeed was alive._

* * *

_During one of the initial attack in the Digimon incident the group had been handling, Gabumon and Tailmon had saw a glimpse of memory data Eosmon had emitted when somehow the Digimon had went out of control failing to retrieve one of the dark seed children's consciousness. They had seen familiar memories they could not pinpoint on. Eosmon was acting by instinct attacking Yamato and Hikari. They didn't know better._

* * *

" _Yamato-san, Agumon, please come back safely." Meiko prayed outside the barrier separating Neverland and the Real World. Transferring her partnership with Agumon to Taichi, she could only wait for their return._

* * *

_Yamato found Taichi in Neverland all grown up. He was not that different from what he had remembered eleven years ago._

**_"End… the… battle, save the… world… Keep… everybody… safe… It's ok… if I leave… the rest… to you… right?" Yamato watched helplessly when Taichi's body was turned into data and faded away._ **

" _Long time no see, Yamato." Taichi turned to smile at him before turning back looking across the lake separating the island with the sleeping Children who were looking younger than they should._

" _You're Taichi." Yamato walked towards him with Agumon and Gabumon following closely behind. They were the final hope._

" _Taichi!" Agumon jumped into his arm in happiness. He did not think he would ever see Taichi again since he failed to protect him, his very first partner. Taichi grinned at his best partner._

" _I'm sorry I'm unable to get in touch with you earlier." Taichi apologised. He managed to recall everything when he woke up in Neverland. He could not believe he had lost six years walking up in 2005 after dying in the Digital World in 1999._

" _Koushirou had considered this possibility after what Dark Gennai had told him in the Digital World" Yamato admitted. He had got Daisuke and his group to keep a look out. They would know when they saw Taichi having travelling through time as their secret ad-hoc mission which Daisuke had been carefully keeping the fact from him. There was another world Yagami Taichi was well and alive. Yamato was really glad when he overheard their conversation in 2003._

_Yes, Daisuke and his group had managed to make contact with Taichi through their own means. They confirmed that Taichi did not have his memory despite still holding on to his Digivice which had been disabled. They decided not to interfere with his new life since he was progressing well on his own overseas._

" _You're not going in alone." Yamato decided. He was wagering for a chance. Maybe he could finally bring Taichi home where he belonged along with his memories. Taichi's vague memories were first taken by Eosmon when it was first born from an experiment Professor Mochizuki and his team as well as one of Nishijima's comrade was involved in. His guardian who replaced the late Nishijima-san expanded the research after it was abandoned. She shot him in cold blood when he attempted to stop her._

" _We're going together and we're going home together!" After all, miracles had happened thanks to the nasty reboot._

_Taichi chuckled. That was an ideal situation he could dream of. Yes, in his dream. His physical body was dying in the Real World though but he did not want to disappoint Yamato._

_They high-fived in agreement._

* * *

_It was a hard battle. They were being attacked all over and they need to regroup._

_Yamato look up to his back. Taichi had something he needed to do. He was holding on to Hikari's whistle he found here. He managed to find Hikari in the midst of the unconscious children. He brushed her hair gently. Hikari had grown so big. Taichi was really glad that she had grown up healthily she should have and she no longer need him._

" _Hikari, tell dad and mum I'm sorry I haven't been a good son to them. Live on my behalf." Taichi placed the whistle in her palm. He turned to Yamato who was stunned by his words. Yamato shook his thought off. Taichi would go back with him. He would convince him._

" _We may not be able to change our fate, but.. We can change our destiny!" A new evolution happened. It was not Omegamon Daisuke had spoke of, Yamato had envisioned as they headed in for a rematch._

_As Eosmon was finally defeated, the timer on their Digivice had finished its countdown. Agumon and Gabumon was gone. The boys broke down in tears. They were aware of the risks but in order to save everyone, hard decisions had to be made. Both Agumon and Gabumon were prepared._

_Taichi was the first to stand up after a period of silence. He heard something ticking. They watched as the children were fading one by one from Neverland back to the Real World._

" _Taichi, you're coming back with me." Yamato remembered his objective. He was determined to be his friend he could rely on. Surely they could be friends again, right? Taichi heard him. He understood him. Perhaps he could go back and fight for his life?_

_Suddenly, Taichi's eyes widen. He spotted Eosmon's final attack emerging from its destruction. Neverland is collapsing faster than the children's consciousness could return. The data was deleting at a rate Taichi could not do anything about. His Digivice were disabled._

" _This can't do." Taichi was afraid that the range of data deletion would reach Hikari and his friends and Yamato who was physically there. Realising what could happen, Taichi made his decision._

_Taichi's body glowed. Yamato stared in horror as he got a bad feeling towards it._

" _Taichi? Taichi, No!" Yamato stood up approaching him but was forced to stand a distance away due to the glaring light emitting from his fading body._

" _I'm sorry Yamato. This is it. Even though it had been a short time, I'm happy to have gone to the Digital World with everyone. Thank you for being my friend." Taichi closed his eyes raising his hands to form a barrier blocking the incoming destruction. Being deleted from the Digital World before, he received some knowledge. He would use his data, his memory to protect his friends._

_**"Thank you for believing in me but I'm sorry I was so late. Taichi, you are my true friend! I won't let your friendship be in vain!"** Yamato shook his head in denial._

" _TAICHI!"_

_If there was a next life, he would like to go on another adventure with his friends again. With all his determination, Yamato and the rest were safely returned to the Real World._

***End Flashback***

* * *

No one would have known except for himself and Mochizuki. Until now he was unable to convince himself to forgive her for keeping the details of her involvement with Taichi and the Incorporated Administrative Agency .

Taichi had given up his life to protect them. He had attended his funeral. It was kept discreet. His existence and his death was covered up by Incorporated Administrative Agency and he could do nothing about. Not even the Yagami's family were aware of this. Taichi's involvement was never revealed and Yamato was named the hero along with Mochizuki Meiko among the Chosen Children community. Daisuke and his group knew. They kept up a great fight to protect the Real World and they were aware of Taichi's fate. To his horror, they knew Mochizuki way before they did and they were involved in Incorporated Administrative Agency missions winding up in the Vault. They were ultimately rescued by the late former Chosen Child, Nishijima Daigo who gave his life to save them.

Yamato was no longer the privileged Chosen Child now. Yamato stared up solemnly at the gloomy sky which rained heavily. An umbrella hovered above his head.

"You'll get a cold, Yamato-san." It was Daisuke. He handed him some stuff from another rebooted Chosen Child who was described to have tanned skin, sparkling white teeth, and pleasant smile, releasing the perfect aura and that he returned to this world he actually come from. Taichi had entrusted his stuff with him.

Yamato looked over the things Taichi left. There were photos and cut-out of newspapers from Digimon incidents including photos of their day-to-day lives using his privilege in Incorporated Administrative Agency. It was not just Koushirou and himself trying to find clues to his existence and to reach out to him. Taichi was doing the same. Unfortunately, he never had the courage until the day he came to Koushirou's office and met his fate.

Yamato lost it all in the battle, Gabumon, Taichi. Yamato finally broke down in tears and cried himself to sleep.

* * *

After that, Takeru came to his place and found him. Yamato placed the plate of eggs he fried on the table. Takeru was already salivating. Patamon had started sipping his coffee.

"Aniki, let's eat!" Takeru urged him to hurry. He was so hungry coming over the first thing in the morning.

Yamato found himself smiling all the sudden at his reaction. He was glad that Takeru and everyone was safe. Perhaps he was no longer one of the Chosen Children, the peace to be preserved is left up to them. He would support them from the back. After all, there were so many unknown happening behind their back and he would need to help them deal with them.

"This is what you will have wanted, right? Taichi? So that they can live their lives in happiness."


	2. Side: Taichi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taichi was reconfigured without his memory from the reboot. He did all he could to blend in to the society. He was about to inform his guardian to only find out a horrifying secret about them and what they did to him. Taichi was determined to help the Chosen Children from his guardian's scheme. A secret about his guardian's creation was revealed.

_"No matter how the event flowed in time, he can't escape for he was dealt the curse when the crest was activated to grant his wish."_

A boy's eyes snapped open. The first thing he saw was a white ceiling. He was confused and his eyes felt heavy.

Where is he?

Come to think of it who is he?

"Hey, you've finally woken up." The boy with huge brown and messy hair turned his head to the direction of the voice. It was a pretty lady with orange hair with a butterfly clip sitting beside her. She was dressed like an office lady, neat and clean.

"Who are you? Who am I? Do I know you?" The boy asked weakly through his oxygen mask. He had some IV stuck to him. His gaze looked confused and tired.

"Kamiya Taichi." The lady greeted cheerfully. "Welcome home." The boy named Taichi blinked.

* * *

Six months later, Taichi was discharged. To think he followed her to New York.

He did not remember anything, except that he was Kamiya Taichi and he was 17. He was very sick some years back and fell into a coma since then. Taichi was shocked to hear he had lost years. People of his age would have been in High School. Yet he was going to attempt to take an entrance exam for Junior High.

Although he was 17, he didn't feel like one. He simply felt empty. Did he have friends? How about his family? He had been trying to figure things out. The lady who was currently his guardian would take care of things. Taichi had no choice but to accept it. Hence, he was here taking exam.

Something in his pocket vibrated. Taichi flip his phone open and smiled.

"Thank you, Mochizuki." Taichi saw a message wishing him good luck. Mochizuki Meiko was his very first friend in Japan. She came to visit him when he was in the hospital when he was feeling weak and groggy having an oxygen mask over his face and that she looked as if she lost someone important and was in tears. Sadly, Taichi was too weak to even comfort her.

He told himself he would try get to know her when he got better but to his dismay, he did not get a chance to do so at least in person before being escorted to America.

He made a promise to himself that he would work harder so that he could get back to the society sooner.

* * *

Four year later, Taichi was busy in kitchen while being on the line. He was on the line with a Digimon. Fascinating. If it was years ago, he would think he had gone nuts. Nowadays, more and more Digimon had appeared and become friends with human and so was Mochizuki.

The Digimon called himself Agumon and he was Mochizuki's bodyguard and partner. Taichi laughed at Agumon sharing about his dream of eating in an omelette kingdom. Taichi was getting good in cooking and set his own customised omelette ramen on the table.

"How about this? I'll make you omelette when we meet." Taichi found himself feeling excited. He would return to Japan once he finished his college studies.

"I'm Meiko's bodyguard and you're always welcome to help me when you win her heart! I think you will make a perfect prince for her." Taichi almost choked on his saliva. Agumon was not stupid at all. Meiko had grown up and so was he. Taichi had never thought about getting into relationship and stuff like that. It was grown-up stuff.

Grown-up? Taichi found himself staring out the window. He was in his 20s but he didn't feel grown up at all. He ended his call and prepared to have lunch.

"Itadakimasu!"

He had now finished his High School still trying to figure things out. He would seek permission from the agency to return to Japan.

* * *

"Are you intending to keep it from him?" A male in the early 30s asked Taichi's guardian. Taichi was going to seek permission or rather inform her about his plan to return to Japan. He overhear things he shouldn't have heard. It was a horrifying truth.

He walked away with heavy heart barely hearing his guardian calling out for him that he took off running.

Taichi found himself in tears. He was found in a lab undergoing some experiment. An unwanted lab rat. Why did he even end up there?

"Professor Mochizuki. Mochizuki Meiko." He punched his fist on a wall. They had been making him look like a fool.

"Ano… are you alright?" Taichi raised his head and saw a boy looking younger than him in Japanese yukata-like outfit. The goggles on his head was extremely eye-catching or so he would like to say.

That was how Taichi encounter a Japanese Chosen Child Motomiya Daisuke and his friend who was nodding to him to greet him, Ichijouji Ken. They were on a ramen trip in America. Taichi ended up bringing them around distracting him from the horrifying truth at least.

* * *

"And in the end I look like a fool…" Taichi laughed with his face flushing from the alcohol. Daisuke and Ken had been struggling to stop him from drinking any more. Miyako peeked with an eye open, she was feigning drunk.

"It's convenient when we have Miyako-san who can drink around." Daisuke exclaimed. Taichi barely keep up with their conversation about him, reboot about Digimon, and about Chosen Child. He was too tired to keep himself awake that his world turned black.

When he woke up he found himself in the same stall he was knocked out at, Daisuke and friends had left first based on the message they left. They gave him a jacket to keep him warm. He was given a phone and a pair of goggles which was pair Daisuke had.

"Contact them if he needs help." Taichi stared at the phone with a cover of a sun symbol and a pair of goggles in confusion.

Taichi was surrounded by his guardian's guards and he felt a prick on his neck before losing consciousness. The last thought he had was an orange dinosaur.

"Agumon…"

He was screaming in fear being tied up again somewhere again. His guardian attempted to retrieve his memory data. He would not want his memory to be abused hence he resisted.

"Don't worry, all will be over soon, Taichi. All your pain and suffering will be transferred to my creation. "

"Menoa…-san" Taichi tried to reach for her before he was knocked out again.

* * *

Taichi ended up in Japan as requested. He didn't know what she did to him. He knew she was friendly to him when he woke up back in his home. Surprisingly his memory was not tampered with. He could only act friendly to her till he found out the truth and make things right.

"You're finally here." A man about his age appeared to fetch him from the airport.

"A fellow reboot Chosen Child, if you want to know. My name is Akiyama Ryo, Kamiya Taichi-kun." The guy known as Ryo hinted him that they were being watched by the Agency. These people didn't get close to them as though they were ordered to do so. He was open. He remembered everything and he did not want to hide. If they want to capture him, they would have done so long time ago.

"Just continue with your life as per normal. I'm pretty sure the strongest team will be able to do something about the Agency. Taichi-kun can control them if you want to. Nishijima-san had given you the access right, after all and she didn't know."

"Strongest team?" Taichi murmured as they watched a scene of Digimon battle with Garurumon and Greymon attacking a Parrotmon in a huge screen live in the city.

Taichi decided to get in touch with them recalling the message Motomiya Daisuke had left him. He clutched the goggles he was given in tighter grip.

* * *

_"Taichi. If you manage to see this video, it means that you're prepared."_ A male about age of 25 with dark olive-green hair appeared in his laptop screen. Taichi had used his privilege in Incorporated Administrative Agency to retrieve Nishijima's belonging and finally unlocked a video message from him.

He told Taichi many unbelievable things including a version of himself transcending from time and he would save them (and he did and returned to his world in 2005). Even so, he had his own future to decide and so is Taichi. Despite their difference, Taichi himself should make his own choice for his own future.

_"Please look out for Menoa just in case the same happened to her like with Himekawa. She's another one of us. I wish I can do more for her after I failed with Himekawa. I failed as their leader but if it's you, you might be able to. After all your team is well known as the strongest team. Taichi, you know, I wish for your happiness. I don't care if you ever remember your past, you can't change your fate, but you can change your destiny. Remember, dream big!"_ The male smiled gently as he gave him a punch in the screen before it sizzled to black.

Taichi had been looking out for the situation Eosmon had caused. He read reports and what the 'Strongest Team', Ishida Yamato, Izumi Koushirou and the rest had done over the years.

Perhaps he would entrust with Izumi Koushirou what he knew so he could help to save the Chosen Children from Menoa's hands.

* * *

"Please stop this, Menoa-san." Taichi pleaded when he saw an unconscious Koushirou in the ground. She was no longer the guardian he first knew.

"Taichi-kun should understand me the most. The feeling of loss. Oh yeah you don't remember. Your memory is conveniently deleted. "I tried to retrieve your lost memory without avail. I don't want others to suffer like Nishijima-senpai and Himekawa-senpai, like you and me."

Taichi's gaze fell on the thumbdrive she was holding. They contained the name list of all Chosen Children from all over the world. He would snatch it from her. He was so focused on the thumbdrive that he didn't notice what was coming. A gunshot was heard.

At that moment, he took a sharp raspy breath when he felt an agonising pain from his left chest. Something small and piercing tore through and broke something within him. His right hand found his way unconsciously to his chest when he felt something warm and sticky seeping through his finger.

"Blood?" The confused boy raised his hand unable to believe what he was seeing on his hand.

"Me…noa-san?" He saw her holding up at gun with trembling hands. She had shot him. Taichi collapsed as a pool of red formed around him. He still tried to reach out for her.

"Please…" Taichi attempted to reach for her again despite being in so much pain.

"Please understand I'm trying to save you and everyone." With that Menoa kicked Taichi's free hand which was holding on to the ankle off her. She left with the name list and he failed to stop her.

Taichi placed his trembling hand on the source of pain in disbelief trying to apply pressure to the wound in despair. He stared at the Koushirou's unconscious figure. Was there nothing else he could do? Was this how Nishijima-san felt when he realised, he failed to save Himekawa Maki?

He did not know how much time had passed before he felt someone cradling him on his lap. Someone was here for them. He was Menoa's assistant, an undercover FBI officer, Yamada Kyotaro. He attempted to stop his bleeding while calling for ambulance.

"Hang on." Taichi's blood was seeping through his finger.

"I couldn't… stop… her… I let Nishijima-san down…" Taichi tried to get his words out while coughing out blood. 

"It's fine, you shouldn't carry all these burden on yourself. I'm at fault too for not taking action earlier…" The man tried to comfort him as Taichi lost his consciousness.

* * *

There was so much emotions around him. Taichi woke up somewhere. Looking around he saw crystal-like island surrounding him and children were trapped in the island. A young Hikari especially caught his attention.

"HIKARI!" He ran towards the crystal. She looked as young as he last remembered. He took her whistle off her neck.

Oh yeah, he remembered, he remembered everything. Taichi fell on his butt. He died and came back. It had been eleven years since then.

Taichi stood up feeling a presence closing on him. He just knew who he was. The strongest team should be arriving by now after Koushirou had sent him the coordinates.

"Long time no see, Yamato. Taichi turned to smile at him before turning back looking across the lake separating the island with the sleeping Children. Taichi kind of feel a sense of security seeing Yamato somehow.

"You're Taichi." Yamato walked towards him with Agumon and Gabumon following closely behind. They were the final hope.

"Taichi!" Agumon jumped into his arm in happiness. He did not think he would ever see Agumon again. Taichi grinned at his best partner. He was doing well even without him, eating well, sleeping well.

"I'm sorry I'm unable to get in touch with you earlier." Taichi apologised to Agumon and Yamato. Before he knew, there were so many things he had missed out all these years. He had lost six years and wasted another five years.

"Koushirou had considered this possibility after what Dark Gennai had told him in the Digital World" Yamato admitted to him. Taichi could have returned after the reboot. They tried but they were unable to locate and contact him for the past five years. Nevertheless, Yamato believed he was alive and well somewhere and asked his successor, Motomiya Daisuke who could travel freely to keep a look out for him. Taichi closed his eyes in thought. No wonder they came to him and they gave him a phone and asked him to contact them. It would be Yamato if he ever called. Seriously why will he even call a stranger in the first place? Taichi wanted to exclaim.

Eosmon and Menoa appeared before them. They have more important things on hand.

"What do you think of my world, Neverland?" She asked Taichi. She explained her plan to him. If they remained in this world, they would be able to remain together happily. There would not be sadness and pain. Taichi stared at the countdown needles on his Digivice in horror. The same thing was happening to Yamato. They don't have time.

Yamato was attracted by the idea. He had gone through thick and thin with Gabumon over the years. To think of separating at this juncture was unacceptable. Taichi felt the same.

Agumon fired a breath on Eosmon and Menoa and Gabumon followed suit. They need to wake up their ideas.

"Taichi, Yamato, run!" They would buy some time for them. When the smoke cleared, Eosmon had disappeared.

"Agumon." Taichi taken a good look at his good old partner. He didn't change much but time had caught up on them. Agumon had been through quite several adventures with Ken and with Mochizuki Meiko as their partners. His expression looked stern unlike the carefree Agumon he knew way back.

"You're my first and last partner, Taichi." Agumon grabbed his hands tightly not wanting to let go. "No matter what we'll always be together."

Taichi looked the whistles he took from Hikari. He managed to find Hikari amidst the unconscious children once more. He brushed her hair gently. Hikari had grown so big. Taichi was glad that she had grown up healthily she should have, and she no longer need him.

"Hikari, tell dad and mum I'm sorry I haven't been a good son to them. Live on my behalf." Taichi placed the whistles in her palm. He turned to Yamato who was stunned by his words.

"We may not be able to change our fate, but... We can change our destiny!" A new evolution happened. It was not Omegamon Daisuke had spoken of, Yamato had envisioned as they headed in to where Menoa was for a rematch.

* * *

"Taichi, you should understand, right? If you delete Eosmon here, you'll lose the memory of you just recovered if you return to the Real World, I tried and tested many times and you should know better by now. You'll lose everything and even your life." Menoa reminded him. Taichi hesitated upon hearing her words.

"You're a cursed being doomed to die if they're allowed to return to the Real World."

"That's not true at all!" Yamato shouted at her; he could not allow her to distract Taichi anymore.

"Taichi?" Yamato insisted that he would to come back with him. Taichi was fighting for his life in the Real World. If he could bring him back, there is still hope.

Taichi closed his eyes and spoke up.

"Menoa-san, you are just like me. We are alone. In fact, we could be friends, yet you choose to hurt me and those around me. "

"No, I'm your saviour! So that all of you won't end up like me or Nishijima-senpai! Why can't you understand?"

"I don't! I don't think friends should do this to one another!" Taichi had a heated exchange with Menoa which Yamato could not interfere.

"What was past is over, we can't recreate them, but surely, we can create all kinds of futures, Menoa-san! I believe we will find a way." Menoa was surprised at Taichi's words. She was aware what kind of fate he was dealt with from a mysterious Digimon transcending from time. Taichi was supposed to be cursed. He would die in any world that reached a conclusion that led to happiness. Was he the one with miracle?

Menoa fell on her knees. What had she done? Himekawa-senpai suggested she would reunite them with their Digimon. She was enticed. Himekawa would attempt to trigger a reboot using Meicoomon so she could reunite them with their Digimon partners. However, she failed as their partners no longer remembered them. Menoa had no choice but to look elsewhere and she found Taichi who was reconfigured from the reboot. Maybe if she could revive his memory, there would be hope.

Nothing could bring his memory back, she realised. The data extracted from experimenting on Taichi, on the other hand was brought to life and Eosmon was born. Eosmon would create a Neverland where the Chosen and their Digimon partners could live in happiness. That was Nishijima-senpai and Taichi's wish.

Taichi pulled out the goggles and wore over his head. Yamato realised it had been with Daisuke all these years. He was prepared. They were aware of the risks but in order to save everyone, hard decisions had to be made. Both Agumon and Gabumon were prepared.

"We're not just the Chosen Children, we need to choose our future no matter how tough it will be."

As Eosmon was finally defeated, the timer on their Digivice had finished its countdown. Agumon and Gabumon was gone. The boys broke down in tears.

_"Taichi, stay well."_ It was Agumon's last word to him. Taichi cried as he had not fulfilled his promise to make him an omelette.

The two boys remained in silence, watched as the children including Menoa they had saved were fading one by one from Neverland back to the Real World.

"Taichi, you're coming back with me." Taichi heard Yamato. He understood him. Perhaps he could go back and fight for his life?

Taichi stood up after a period of silence. He heard something ticking and his eyes widened. He spotted Eosmon's final attack emerging from its destruction. Neverland is collapsing faster than the children's consciousness could return. The data was deleting at a rate Taichi could not do anything about. His Digivice were disabled.

Taichi was suddenly overwhelmed by Eosmon's cries of resentment. He found himself facing off Eosmon's image. Eosmon was an embodiment of his resentment. Why was he left alone, why did he lose his memories, why didn't his friends and family try to get in touch with him? Even Agumon left with Mochizuki.

_"I'm sorry. I didn't know you were there. "_ Taichi found his younger self trapped in its body curling up to himself.

_"I'm not a good leader. The Digital World is still in shambles. Because of me, we are unable to complete our mission. I'm a coward. Yamato is a better leader than me but he hates me. That's why he didn't want the responsibility. Jou and Mimi hate me too. That's why they left. We can't complete the mission because I'm weak. I can't hold the team together. I can't keep them safe. They will all die because of me. The Digital World and the Real World is doomed…"_

Taichi smiled. Looked like he found the source who had the Crest of Darkness. This world was not the one with the true ending though he is 22 already (16 if he excluded the six years he lost), Taichi concluded.

_"It's alright now. Your battle is over. Yamato and the rest had completed the mission and peace had returned to the Digital World."_ Taichi placed both his hands on his younger self's shoulder. He had been watching the situation out there.

The range of deletion was still expanding. Taichi was afraid that the range of data deletion would reach Hikari and his friends and Yamato who was physically there. Realising what could happen, Taichi made his decision.

Taichi hugged the boy before him and his body glowed. Agumon was gone. Their battle was over. He would bore his own fear, resentment and regrets.

_"I shall bear the sin for the trouble I had caused and make things right."_ Taichi had decided.

"Taichi? Taichi, No!" Yamato stood up approaching him but was forced to stand a distance away due to the glaring light emitting from his fading body.

"I'm sorry Yamato. This is it. Even though it had been a short time, I'm happy to have gone to the Digital World with everyone. Thank you for being my friend."

Taichi closed his eyes raising his hands to form a barrier blocking the incoming destruction. Being deleted from the Digital World before, he received some knowledge. He would use his data, his memory to protect his friends.

_"Thank you for believing in me but I'm sorry I was so late. Taichi, you are my true friend! I won't let your friendship be in vain!"_ Yamato shook his head in denial.

Come to think of it, Nishijima had told him about another version of himself. Did he managed to find the true ending where he could live happily with his friends? Or would he still die whenever his wish was granted as he was dealt the curse when the crest was activated to grant his wish."

"TAICHI!"

If there was a next life, he would like to go on another adventure with his friends again. With all his determination, Yamato and the rest were safely returned to the Real World.

* * *

Ishida Yamato stood before Taichi's grave after Mochizuki Meiko, Daisuke and his group had left along with other Incorporated Administrative Agency's officers.

They did not know what happened to Menoa after she was arrested. She was not charged with murder as the Agency decided to keep Taichi's existence and death a secret. Not even Koushirou realised what had happened in his office as his CCTV and back-up were all tampered with.

Surprisingly, his birth name, 'Yagami Taichi' was engraved on it. He thought Incorporated Administrative Agency would not have approved of it. Yamato recalled how Taichi's life came to the end in the hospital. He had not left any word obviously. He did not remember any of them.

All Yamato had was his goggles Taichi wouldn't let go of until he breathed his last just like Hikari found her whistles when she first awoke in the hospital.

Yamato was no longer the privileged Chosen Child now. Yamato stared up solemnly at the gloomy sky which rained heavily. An umbrella hovered above his head.

"You'll get a cold, Yamato-san." It was Daisuke. He handed him some stuff from another rebooted Chosen Child, Akiyama Ryo who was described to have tanned skin, sparkling white teeth, and pleasant smile, releasing the perfect aura and that he returned to this world he come from. Taichi had entrusted his stuff with him. The phone he gave to Taichi was made to clone his Digivice especially was something he had to give to him. Maybe Koushirou would be able to process it one day.

Daisuke left as soon as he was done as Ken was waiting. Yamato threw Daisuke something which he caught in surprise.

"Don't leave your goggles everywhere! I can't keep picking it up for you." Yamato yelled at his successor. "Bear the weight of the goggles from now on, Daisuke."

Daisuke glanced at the goggles. He nodded tearing up. He was unable to face his failure five years ago. It took him time. Thanks to his his friends and V-mon, he was able to get up and move on. No matter what kind of future they would be dealt with, they would face them right on together. He smiled and took off.

"We promise to continue defend Digital World and the Real World. We'll be alright now. You can let go and rest in peace now." Yamato whispered to the air. Yamato thought it was his imagination when Taichi's response was heard vaguely in the air.

"Thank you."


	3. Side: Daisuke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daisuke had been putting up a strong front after his failure five years ago. His facade was broken after someone in his dimension whom he had desperately hoped that he could avert his fate failed to do so. An incident he encountered reignite his hope towards life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: I wonder what made me come up with this. This time I'm exploring what if Daisuke ever feel down and out witnessing life and death.
> 
> Digimon is not mine.

Kamiya or rather, Yagami Taichi was wounded by a bullet through his heart. Motomiya Daisuke watched in despair when he saw him through the window outside the ICU. He had arrived with Ken, Miyako and Iori with their Digimon partners through the Digital Gate after the battle with Eosmon concluded. Taichi was hooked up with many wires, IVs, and he was breathing with the help of oxygen mask. The reading from the heart monitor was erratic. He didn't think Taichi of this timeline would suffer from the same fate. This was the price to pay if Taichi's wish was granted. The Chosen Children whose consciousness were taken by Eosmon were saved.

Taichi's very "first friend", Mochizuki Meiko was holding his hand, comforting him and praying for miracles. Meiko was one of those allowed into the ICU to see him one last time. Taichi had forgiven her for keeping things from him. She had done nothing wrong, the world was wrong, this was his fate. His eyes looked blank and empty due to his body shutting down from the damage the bullet caused to his heart. Taichi's weak smile could barely be seen as the oxygen mask fogged with his breathing. He slowly closed his eyes feeling his heartbeat slowed to a stop. Tears could be seen at the corner of his eyes when his hand fell limply on the blanket. He did not have anything else so it was okay not to expect anything. The goggles he had been holding on fell from his grip on the other side of the bed. The monitor started to beep monotonously signalling the loss of heartbeat.

"Taichi-san?" Meiko could not think when his hand released from her grip. Yamato punched the wall with his fist in frustration at the back of the room. Taichi did not remember him at all.

* * *

Koushirou locked himself up in his office where the Incorporated Administrative Agency had cleaned up evidences of the shooting. He had learnt the truth from Yamato and Meiko. He should have expected since they asked to have a private debrief. He blamed himself for for his failure. He failed his friend again.

Koushirou tried to grow up quickly to break free from the buckle as a child which rendered him powerless. If only he could find Taichi earlier, like they almost failed with Ken in 2002. Why on earth did he work so hard for if he would still lose his friend to fate. He locked himself up in his room in despair.

* * *

With Yamato and Koushirou out of commission, Daisuke led his team to deal with Digimon incidents more frequently. They were their only hope since technically only they could fight in the front-line after some of their seniors lost their partners. As Miyako was in Spain, he would manage with Ken and Iori. Surprisingly Takeru and Hikari came to support them and with their help, the battle ended without much damage.

"Daisuke, here!" Takeru was seen running towards his direction. To think Takeru and Hikari came as well. Was it because, Yamato-san could no longer battle so they switched to their side to make themselves useful?

"Daisuke!" Ken tapped him on his shoulder. He knew what was in his mind. All of them had it hard. Daisuke could not live with his failure, falling into a trap and was imprisoned for months. If it was not for the former Chosen Child, Nishijima Daigo, he and his friends might not be here now.

"I know." Daisuke murmured. Ken and the rest had never blamed him. They wasted close to a year of their lives and were lucky to retain their memories despite going through reboot in the Digital World. He had put up a strong front all these time but he had lost it after Taichi of their world died.

"Glad to see you." Iori politely greeted Takeru. They used to be jogress partner, but yet they felt awkward dealing with each other nowadays.

"Daisuke." Hikari tried to approach him. Daisuke somehow snapped.

"Leave me alone." He glared at her in fury.

"Daisuke!" Takeru almost wanted to pick a fight with him for being rude until V-mon and Patamon's voice distracted them. They were found nearby sharing tidbits.

"Ken-chan, Hikari-san and Tailmon brought us chocolates!" Wormmon informed cheerfully. Ken smiled at the other Digimon joining them with the munch. While they were growing up, they remained the same. No matter what happened, nothing affects their friendship.

"You know the brown sugar latte Takeru ordered is so amazing, Armadillomon should get Iori to buy you. " Iori opened up his wallet and stared coldly. He had overspent from the ramen trip. Not this month, Iori thought.

"V-mon, let's go!" Daisuke called out to his partner. V-mon raised his head reluctantly. Daisuke looked annoyed to V-mon. V-mon waved farewell to the rest and ran off with his partner.

"Let's meet again." Tailmon said awkwardly. There would be incidents caused by Digimon and they would see each other again.

"We're sorry for suspecting you before."Hikari finally said it.

Ken shrugged his shoulder and nodded to Hikari apologetically. Maybe he was used to be misunderstood. He used to be a bad guy who tried to take over the Digital World after all. He did not want to talk about it if Daisuke was not open. They needed time to heal.

"Wormmon." Ken called out watching Daisuke and V-mon took their leave. He would look out for Daisuke. Iori and Armadillomon followed suit when he saw Daisuke and Ken leaves.

Takeru and Hikari looked crestfallen. It would take some time if they ever have a chance to mend their friendship. Five years ago, they had suspected that Ken was behind the incident with Meicoomon and Yggdrasil. That was the only time they bothered to look for him. They did not even contact Daisuke and the rest and even noticed that they were missing, falling into a trap and they lost time. They were too trusting back then.

So were the few of them. They were tricked by Himekawa Maki bac then into helping her with the Digimon incident in the Digital World. Ken watched Daisuke's back closely. To Daisuke, the failure was too hard to swallow.

"Daisuke?" Ken tried to call out to his best friend.

"Leave me alone." Daisuke took V-mon by hand and left the scene. Ken and Iori could only watch him dejectedly.

* * *

"Daisuke? Daisuke?" V-mon nudged his hand. They were both drenched in the rain. V-mon knew Daisuke was very depressed. He hated himself. The strong front he put up was only a facade. Yamato-senpai could tell, hence, he would call them frequently to find out how they were. Daisuke would jumped into action excitedly when Yamato requested for their help. Yamato was the only one who did not treat them any differently.

Now that Yamato had lost Gabumon, all the more Daisuke and the rest needed to step up to help them.

Daisuke's raised his head up all the sadden. He sensed hostility. There was a Digimon who got lost in the Real World. Tricermon again? Daisuke could not help but to exclaim when he witnessed the Digimon knocking down poles all over as he rampaged down the street.

"V-mon!" V-mon nodded and evolved. Thanks to the chocolates earlier, it helped to give him some energy. XV-mon jumped into action trying to stop Tricermon by its horn.

In the corner of the street, a woman shrieked as the building in front Daisuke collapsed. Tricermon had caused damage to the fundamentals of the building

"DAISUKE!" XV-mon yelled as he saw his partner running very quickly towards a collapsing building. Without thinking further, Daisuke rushed into the scene and ended up trapped under the debris. XV-mon was unable to reach him on time.

"DAISUKE!" This was what Daisuke last heard before he was knocked out.

* * *

_He was caught up in the dream, his adventure with his friends when he first became a Chosen Child in 2002. They had been through so much. V-mon was unable to evolve for some time and he thought he was the burden of the team sometimes when each and everyone of them obtain a Digimental and saved the day. Why was he even Chosen if all he did was to cause them trouble and added to the others' burden._

_Things changed when he finally obtained the Digimental of Friendship. Yamato took him on a trekking trip sharing with him some stories about his adventures and on the weight of the goggles. It was also where he obtained his Digimental of Courage after releasing the soul of the Chosen Child who was trapped in his own darkness._

_Yamato seemed to know that the goggles did not belong to him. He was often seen looking up to the sky deep in thought about his friend he lost in the Digital World._

_It did not take long for him to have the opportunity to find out many possibilities behind the multi-universe when he could travel through time and space receiving invitation from an old man who attempted to sell clock to them. That was when Daisuke got to know about Yamato's proudest moment when he had Gabumon evolved into Omegamon with the support of his best friend, Yagami Taichi._

_Daisuke did not know Taichi. He didn't know who he was. Unwittingly, he shared with Yamato of the other timeline about this issue and subsequently changed their fate. That was how he knew more about Taichi from the other world. He watched him grow up. After all, Taichi in his world, did not exist. He died sacrificing his life for the peace of the Digital World._

_Meeting up with Taichi in the other world gave him hope. No matter how time flowed, there were endless possibilities._

_He was also enticed by the idea behind 'Project R' Himekawa Maki proposed. That was the biggest mistake he made. It was too late when they discovered Yggdrasil's plot._

_Even so, all was well. Taichi was reconfigured and back safely from the Digital World. Daisuke and his friends often watched him when they went on ramen trips in different parts of the world. Not even once they tried to approach him. Daisuke did not want to interfere with his new life, free from darkness. It was finally they saw him depressing over something, they sensed something was wrong and decided to check it out._

_Miyako ended up cloning his Digivice to the new phone Koushirou-senpai had invented. It would be interesting to see what he had been through when he was in "limbo" she said. The boys were keen to know too. If they lost time, he lost a lot more. Daisuke took the chance to "dump" the goggles he knew he was the owner of, back to him._

_It was not long after they heard Taichi had returned to Japan. They would leave it to Koushirou and his Strongest Team to get in touch with him. The Strongest Team was what the Digimon community called them._

* * *

Daisuke groaned in pain. His eyes barely cracked open when he heard moaning from a woman close by opposite him. It was the woman he attempted to save from the collapsing building. Daisuke looked around and realised that they were trapped under piles of debris. Fortunately they only suffered from scrapes and there was still space for movement.

"Help me…" The woman clutched her stomach which seems to be bloated. Daisuke realised she was pregnant and she went into labour much to his horror. He didn't know what to do.

"HELP!" He attempted to shouted and ended up coughing due to the dust and the depleting oxygen.

"Don't worry, my friends will be here." Daisuke tried to comfort her. The woman grabbed his arm and bite on him. She was in a lot of pain. Daisuke watched a pool of water pooled around them. Her waters broke.

"Help me…" The woman begged grabbing his hand. Daisuke frowned. There was no one else but him and no time to waste. He raised both his hands to his head wanted to reach for his goggles. Then he recalled he had given up his goggles.

"Damn it!" Daisuke cursed and tried to recall what was to be done when a woman went into labour. He took up emergency first-aid classes after all since the incident five years ago. He tore off his red jacket and covered the woman's waist down.

"Take a deep breath… 1… 2… 1… 2…". The pain from the contraction apparently got too agonising that she bite him hard. Daisuke grimaced in pain and bit his lip. He would not give up.

"Come on, you can do it! Breathe!" The woman could not hold back the pain and shrieked. Daisuke heard cracking of the debris from his back. He shook his head. He could not be distracted. Not now. The oxygen was thinning, he found it hard to breathe and his head was giddy from the lack of air.

"Hang in there, the baby is coming out soon." Daisuke knew he should not stare but he could not help it. The woman was screaming. Daisuke didn't know how long time had passed when he finally saw sign of baby's head.

The debris above his head was loosening breaking off anytime and would fall on them killing them. Daisuke reminded himself to be focused. He would save them, he bet on his life.

"HANG IN THERE! BREATHE!" Daisuke yelled with all his might. The woman was in a lot of pain. Suddenly Daisuke saw a butterfly passing by.

_"Don't you know, what those goggles stand for?"_

_"Daisuke, from now on, you'll protect the Digital World."_

_"...I hope you can meet him on my behalf one day. Motomiya, dream big!"_

_"No matter what happens, give it your all!"_

Daisuke thought he heard some familiar voices transcending space and time, encouraging him, giving him strength. His eyes snapped open.

"AHHH!" She screamed and the huge debris finally gave way. There was no more time. Daisuke pull the woman to his arms. Even if this cost him his life, he would save them like Nishijima-san did, Taichi-san did. Daisuke expected the worst as he closed his eyes.

"COME ON!" He yelled and there was a pause of silence. He expected impending doom to come as the debris gave way crushing on them.

* * *

"Daisuke!" Daisuke thought he was doomed when he heard his name called. It was XV-mon and Stingmon. They came to help him. XV-mon removed a pile of debris.

"Ken? Iori?" Daisuke raised his head and saw his friends. Iori and Ankylomon had arrived with Angemon and Angewomon. Takeru and Hikari joined them as well. They worked together to send Tricermon back to the Digital World while Stingmon helped XV-mon to move the fallen debris and that took them some time.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Ken shouted from the surface.

"No, I'm fine but there is a woman here…" Daisuke's words were interrupted by a cry. Daisuke's heart skipped a beat. It was a loud cry from a baby.

The baby was born. Daisuke could not believe it as he held the baby up. It was a baby boy. He looked pretty shocked.

"Daisuke?" Ken blinked his eyes at the sight of Daisuke holding up a baby. Iori arrived besides him looking surprised.

What Daisuke was holding was a new life. He struggled and was finally born despite the difficulties and challenge they were facing. Couldn't hold back any longer, Daisuke burst into tears crying along with the baby.

* * *

"Here you go." Ken sat with Daisuke on the steps of a stationary ambulance. Daisuke's bloodied hands were still trembling from the shock earlier. The bites on his arms was even more apparent under the daylight.

The woman and her baby were sent to the hospital along with the victims who were also buried under the debris. Part of the building had collapsed thanks to Tricermon's rampage. Thank goodness, no one was killed.

Ken accompanied Daisuke in silence. V-mon and Wormmon would be taken care of by Takeru and Hikari while the two boys needed some time alone. Iori and Armadillomon remained behind to watch over them.

"It's amazing…" Daisuke finally spoke up staring at his trembling hand.

"What is?" Ken asked carefully.

"Life." Daisuke replied still focused on his hands. With his own hands, he delivered a life. Despite suffocating and fear of getting crushed, he persisted, so was the baby and his mother.

Daisuke broke into a big smile. He was enlightened suddenly. What had happened in the past was done, there was no going back. While they could not change their fates, they could decide their future. He would find his way no matter how tough life can get. Besides, he would not be alone, he had his friends. Daisuke grinned at Ken who smiled in response. He decided he would fix everything he messed up with the future he still holds. Of course, he would mend his friendship with Takeru and Hikari. After all, they came for him this time and it was so unlike him to bear grudges.

"Wow, seems like you're doing well." A tanned male around Yamato age, with sparkling white teeth, and pleasant smile, appeared before him. The canned coffee Ken intended to give Daisuke dropped.

"You're…" Ken gasped in surprise. The man with brown and spiky hair nodded.

"Long time no see, Ken. Great to see you all grown up and healthy." The man who introduced himself as Akiyama Ryo would like to talk to them especially to Daisuke.

* * *

Ryo was V-mon's former partner but he would not see V-mon as his presence would affect him. Daisuke and Ken respected his wish. Although he was 'summoned' back to this dimension due to the reboot, his heart was with the other world. He had lived his life to the most. He would go on the journey to find his way back to the dimension he desired.

Daisuke held on to the box he was handed by Ryo. They were things that his fellow friend who was also returned to this world from the reboot had left. He was contemplating whether to open. Daisuke decided to hand these over to his friends instead. He had his friends who cared for him after all. Daisuke recalled how Yamato hinted him to keep a look out for suspicious Chosen Child and Koushirou was researching hard and building up a Chosen Children community hoping to find him.

It was the day of his funeral. Daisuke realised. Daisuke would see Yamato there.

* * *

Daisuke wore his goggles he had retrieved back from Yamato. Perhaps he gave Taichi his goggles hoping to give him strength or rather he wanted to shift his responsibility back to him. Daisuke did not know why. Neither did Ken or Iori or Miyako had stopped him back then. There was no need for answers anymore. From now on, Daisuke would bear the weight of the goggles.

"The woman you had saved would like to see you, Daisuke. Both mother and child is safe." Jou-senpai passed him the message.

"Jou-san is very proud of Daisuke." V-mon added.

"Of course, I'm a hero after all." Daisuke responded sticking his tongue out. V-mon frowned but yet happy because Daisuke had reverted back to his usual self. Daisuke left him with Ken so that he would not startled the mother and child if he brought him with him.

Daisuke arrived at the hospital room with a bouquet of flowers.

"I'm coming in." He was greeted by a beautiful mother. She reminded him of the genius criminal with her orange hair braided. She was holding on to a beautiful baby who was sleeping in peace.

The woman was very grateful to Daisuke. Without him, they might be already dead.

"Can I carry him?" Daisuke felt a sense of accomplishment when the woman handed the baby to him.

"What's his name?" Daisuke asked gently coaxing sleeping baby. The woman smiled gently. Daisuke almost dropped him when he heard it. Of all names, why that?

"I hope he will grow up and be someone great just like Motomiya-san."

Daisuke gazed gently at the baby who just woke up and is smiling at him, his little hands trying to reach for his face, or rather his head or his goggles after hearing her reply.

"I'm sure he will. I will be a 'big help' and he'll grow up and be a 'great' person." Daisuke said confidently while cradling the smiling baby safely in his arms.

The road before them could be long and hard. Nevertheless, they would live their life to the fullest and they can. He was sure of it. Just like the words Nishijima-san had relayed to him before transferring him back to the Real World five years ago.

"Dream big."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess the baby's name???


	4. Side Hikari

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fame of a Chosen Child was a double-edged sword. Some admired them, while there were other that resented them. Hikari realised that as Chosen Children, they are no different as a human.

Hikari was attending a lecture with Tailmon accompanying her. Even though she was physically in lecture, her eyes were fixated on the whistle she had given to Tailmon.

"Tailmon, are you sure you still have it?" Hikari ever asked her. Tailmon had showed her an identical whistle much to her bewilderment. Takeru had suggested that someone could have given her an identical one but Hikari didn't think it was so simple. After all, it had the same scratch as the one she had given to Tailmon.

Hikari sat down at the cafeteria for lunch and was greeted by her college friends. She had been away for a week recuperating at home after her consciousness was taken. Her friends were worried yet excited to hear that her friends saved the day.

"Hikari, you guys are awesome!" A guy of her age, named Himura Toki said excited. He was one of her many admirers. "I wish I have a Digimon partner too so I can fight with you. It will be fun to save the world with you." Hikari barely managed a smile. Tailmon who sat beside her brushed Himura off.

"I think you'll be cowering in fear if that happened." Tailmon commented nonchalantly. "Fun?" She scoffed.

"Tailmon?" Hikari tried to hush her up. They should not say mean things to them.

"You guys are the heroes. It must be really awesome to be held in so high regards. I wish to go for an adventure." Another guy a few years older, grayish-green hair with flat bang, Nakajima Saito said. Nakajima was a good friend of Himura. Both of them really see Hikari as their goddess.

"Don't fake modesty, Yagami Hikari." A girl with curly black hair came over to splash a glass of water and gave her a tight slap on her face. "I hate the innocent look of yours. Seriously, the Chosen Children? Why is she even labelled as a hero? Why are they always the centre of attention?" Hikari was drenched and startled all the sudden. She didn't know how she should deal with this. Tailmon was threatening to scratch her

"Enomoto Suzu!" Himura attempted to stop her from working up again. She had a problem with Hikari and she was always picking on her. She hated how her stupid cat was allowed into the campus.

A blonde boy hurried with a flying bat-like Digimon, Patamon after noticing the trouble.

"Hikari!"

"Another heroic child. Guys, her boyfriend comes to rescue the damsel in distress." Enomoto scoffed. Takaishi Takeru came to the scene. Himura was aware of him since he was of their age. He was a little jealous of him. He got to fight with her as one of the Chosen Child.

"What are you doing?" Takeru demanded to know what was going on.

"She hurt Hikari!" Tailmon was really peeved. She wanted to teach her a lesson by scratching her.

"You guys see? They are a bane to the society. The monsters they brought with them would kill us eventually! Just look at how much destruction had they caused to us?" Enomoto raised her voice and her words started to attract the crowd over. Hikari wanted to say something but she cut her off.

"One day, I will make sure the Chosen Children pay the price." With that, Enomoto left the scene.

"She is just jealous." Himura tried to explain anxiously waving at Takeru trying to calm him down.

"Enomoto wanted a Digimon partner. Unfortunately, we are now grown-up. Grown-up don't have such privilege." Nakajima commented innocently. He was after all a fan of Digimon and noted the profile of the Chosen Children who got their partners at a way younger age.

"We're sorry for the trouble." Nakajima said quietly to Takeru before shoving Himura off. They shouldn't be staying here any longer. Lecture would start soon.

Takeru looked at Hikari who sat back down on the cafeteria chair in concern. It was not the first time that girl picked on Hikari. She had tried to pick on another Chosen but was taught a lesson by her partner Digimon. Ever since then she bore grudges on them.

* * *

That was not the end. Hikari was surrounded by a group of hooligans Enomoto had engaged later in the evening. Tailmon was ready to fight.

"No, Tailmon." Hikari did not want to be involved in unnecessary conflict.

"What do you want?" Hikari cried out in pain when Enomoto pulled her hair and slammed her on the metal fence. Tailmon intended to attack Enomoto but was stopped by Hikari.

"Stop there! If not I'm going to show it to the world how a privileged Chosen Child abused their right and attacked the innocent."

"Did you think I will fall for this?" Tailmon could not afford to wait. Hikari's safety was her top priority.

"I seriously hate you. Heroes who saved the world and claimed to save us? To hell with it! Let me show you how helpless you're without your Digimon Partner. " Enomoto pulled out a knife and was about cut her face. Tailmon swore she was going to kill her if she hurt Hikari.

"No, Tailmon, don't!" Hikari insisted despite the impending threat by the senior who was losing control. A memory of a young boy with huge brown hair emerged from the deepest pits of her mind.

"Oniichan, help me…" Hikari suddenly blurted out when her pen knife was about to reach her.

"HIKARI!" Tailmon cried in desperation. Just when Enomoto was about to cut into her, Takeru and Meiko arrived with reinforcement. The Incorporated Administrative Agency had been alerted and arrested Enomoto and her friends.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Meiko was in white shirt and black blazer with her hair tied up neatly in a ponytail ran to Hikari in concern. They were glad they made it on time.

Meiko in her bowed to Hikari in apology. They would manage it from then now. Meiko was involved in the Incorporated Administrative Agency as one of their agents. It would be easier for them to obtain information that way.

* * *

"Enomoto Suzu. She is a daughter of a military sergeant who died five years ago dealing with the incident caused by Ordinemon." Ken informed Hikari typing away on the laptop connected to Gennai's network. They were all gathering at their new base, an apartment one of the Chosen Child used to stay.

Patamon, V-mon, Wormmon and Armadillomon were busy munching the cakes Mochizuki Meiko had bought for them. Tailmon was staring at them in boredom though. They had not changed over the years.

"As expected." Takeru who stood behind Ken. Hikari was looking down feeling guilty.

"Hikari, don't feel bad. It's inevitable that there will be sacrifices in the process of defending our peace." Iori said quietly. He was reminded of his late father who was killed in his course of work.

"Why are you with Mochizuki Meiko?" Tailmon asked Takeru puzzledly. Takeru narrated how surprise he was to learn that she was part of the Incorporated Administrative Agency.

"I chanced upon her in the street looking for cakes." Takeru was typing away in a café with Patamon often looking out of the window out of curiosity and spotted her. A group of officers were watching her. They had to be from the Incorporated Administrative Agency.

" _They're still watching her."_ Takeru felt compiled to help her. Hence, he approached her.

They happened to chance upon Enomoto dragging Hikari into the back of the street. Meiko decided get her team of agents to help. Takeru then realized the agents were with her. She was apologetic for keeping secrets from Takeru.

Hikari scanned around the room. She felt a sense of familiarity for some reason. She touched the wall at the back and the bed she was sitting on.

"What's wrong, Hikari?" Tailmon asked her partner. Hikari was sensitive. She ought to have sense something.

"Who's staying here?" She asked suddenly. Ken's shoulder flinched and he stopped typing. Takeru who had taken a bite from a cake, looked a little surprised to Ken's reaction. He blinked and stared at him.

"Let's just say, a friend lent the place to us." V-mon replied on Ken's behalf. Ryo would be okay with it since he kind of gave the key to Ken and grant them permission to use this place if they needed another base other than Koushirou's office. He recalled that day when he passed the key to Ken when he met them earlier where Daisuke helped a lady to deliver a baby. He was here because Daisuke was off to visit the lady in the hospital.

This devices in this place were connected to Gennai if they needed his help.

"I see." Hikari sounded a little down. She was hoping for another answer.

"Hikari, are you alright? Shall I take you home?" Takeru asked gently squatting before her.

"Oniichan… " Takeru was shocked to hear her mumble for her late brother. Tears started to pour. The Digimon stopped eating, Iori had an urge to approached her but choose to look away and let her cry. Ken just bit his lip. He resisted the urge to face her.

"I'm sorry. I'm just…" Hikari burst into tears. She was overwhelmed by her emotion. She didn't know why. Even though it had been more than a decade since he died, she thought time could heal all wounds, but she couldn't help calling for his help when she was almost hurt by Enomoto. Takeru patted her on her shoulder.

"It's okay, Hikari."

"I missed him so much. " Hikari could not stop crying. The place reminded her so much of her brother.

"If oniichan is alive, his room will look this way. " Even if the rest thought it's bizarre, she still said it. Takeru glanced around and surprisingly no one is probing even though this was seemingly the first time they heard about her brother. He was expecting questions.

" _To defend the world for the sake of peace, sacrifice is inevitable."_ Iori understood it. They all heard about what happened to Hikari's elder brother from Yamato and not just once. Ken hadn't dare to probe during their conversation. He had lost his brother at younger age too.

"We'll let you know if there is any update." Iori bowed to Takeru as he followed the two of them with their partner Digimon out to the door.

"Kamiya?" Hikari taken note of the name plate outside the apartment. She could not help but to clutch the whistle under her shirt tightly. She was sure something was going on and Ken and the rest were not letting on. Takeru would want to get to the bottom of what they were not sharing with them. It was their fault for not checking in on them when they needed them the most.

"Hikari, we're sticking with them from now on whether they like it or not." Takeru suggested nonchalantly but much to his surprise, she agreed.

"Let's find out more about them." Hikari added.

* * *

Hikari was preparing to leave her apartment. Her mother was busy coming up with another special recipe which she decided to avoid trying.

"I'm leaving." Hikari informed raising her voice to her mother who raised her head out in response.

"Have a great day! Come back early for dinner with Tail-chan, okay?" Her mother called out cheerfully. Her mother had accepted the existence of Digimon and had been supporting her. Deep down she had not accepted that Taichi was gone. All these years, she assumed that he ran away from home and had been honing her cooking skills. Maybe one day, if he comes back, she would be able to have him eat them all.

Hikari sighed sadly leaning against the door she just closed. It had been more than ten years Taichi had left them. The raw feeling of loss had been fading over the time, but the pain from the scar remained.

"It's another day, let's have some ice-cream after class, Tailmon." Hikari said with a smile. She would pull herself together. Tailmon smiled in agreement.

Mochizuki Meiko was waiting for her at her apartment entrance in her office wear. Hikari recalled she was staying nearby whenever she came by Odaiba.

"Hikari-san, it had been a while." Meiko greeted her with a gentle smile. The wind blew scattering the leaves behind her that her ponytail came off revealing her feature which reminded Hikari of her during her High School time.

"How have you been?" Hikari asked as the girls sat in the ice-cream parlour. Meiko ordered a pancake to share. Hikari noted the difference in her nowadays. She was no longer shy and socially awkward. The confidence she emitted as one of the members in the society impressed her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't check in with you yesterday. Sorry for calling you out in such a short notice." Meiko took a sip of water to hide her awkwardness. Hikari suddenly burst into laughter. She was relieved. Meiko didn't change much.

"Hikari-san?" Meiko glanced around awkwardly blushing in embarrassment. She shamed herself in public again.

"No,no… I'm so sorry." Hikari tried to control her laughter. Tailmon smiled looking up at Hikari. She was glad that the incident yesterday did not affect her very much. Hikari was careful when she interacted with Tailmon considering that she lost Meicoomon and even Agumon recently.

"Has Hikari-san ever regret becoming one of the Chosen Children?" Meiko asked with an unreadable expression. That question ever hit her a few times. Including once when Jou questioned for a reason why they were chosen as Chosen Children. Hikari glanced down at her reflection through a glass of water and thought about it. Tailmon looked at her worriedly. Even if Hikari regretted, she would be fine, right?

" _Jou senpai and Gomamon were chosen together as partners. Do you need a reason for that?"_

Hikari smiled and shook her head.

"Never. I had never regretted it. If it wasn't for what we had gone through together, Tailmon and I wouldn't be where we're now." Tailmon blinked in surprise. Hikari was deep in thought. She recalled how she and her brother first encountered Koromon. Koromon evolved and saved them from Parrotmon. Her subsequent encounter with Tailmon, their battles against Vandemon, and the Dark Masters, many more with Daisuke, Ken, Miyako, Iori and Meiko-san later on. And even if she… Hikari opened her eyes as tears blurred her sight.

"Hikari?" Hikari often seen herself running after her brother. She often dreamed of herself looking at his back but she could never catch him.

"I'm sorry." Hikari broke down into crying. Meiko stood up, moving beside her and took her into her arms.

"It's okay to cry." Meiko said as she patted Hikari's shuddering back gently. "I believe that we and our partner Digimon and our loved ones are always connected, no matter what happens… so it's okay to cry. That's why I came."

* * *

Hikari felt a lot better meeting up with Meiko. Hikari realized she was really strong. Despite losing Meicoomon and Agumon, she could still face her problems right on. She was currently with the Incorporated Administrative Agency after college surprisingly. Hikari asked her reason for joining them.

" _Some things are best to be left unknown but I just don't want to see anybody else as helpless as me. I want to do all I can so that there is no more secret." Meiko said looking down sadly. Deep down, she had a lot of regrets._

" _Yamato-san said he was happy that he got to meet everyone in the process. We're not just the Chosen Children, we need to choose our future no matter how tough it will be. Those experience made us who we are. He believes they'll find a way. She will reunite with their Digimon partners, one day."_

"Maybe I should go and see Enomoto-san." Hikari suggested. Meiko would help her out with the approvals.

"I object!" Tailmon could not afford to have Hikari hurt again.

"I'll be okay, I promise." Hikari squatted down to do a pinky finger with Tailmon. Tailmon looked away feeling pissed. _Why is she so stubborn?_ Tailmon would not be able to protect her this way. Even so, she could not get mad at her. She raised her pinky finger with her back facing her.

Hikari smiled in response. Tailmon agreed… reluctantly.

* * *

"Why are you here?" Enomoto Suzu arrived in the visitor's room in the detention facility. She was taken aback to see Hikari. She scanned around for her company, whether it's that white cat or her blonde boyfriend with his pet bat.

"I came here alone." Hikari replied through the phone Enomoto picked up reluctantly to hear her out.

"Come, just spill. What else do you want from me? I have pleaded guilty. You can send me to prison. I'm of the age after all." Enomoto spat in annoyance.

"I won't." Hikari said adamantly, her eyes not deviating. Enomoto hated people like Hikari the most. Such a hypocrite.

"Why? If I get out, I can still hurt you. Aren't you not afraid? Or did you think that those monsters will protect you because you're the privileged one?" She slammed on the glass window panel and this caught the guard's attention to restrain her if need be.

"We're the same, Enomoto-san. I'm no different from you." Hikari said quietly. "I lost someone important to me to Digimon too." Hikari did not want to talk about Taichi initially. It was Meiko who gave her courage.

"I have a brother; he was just an elementary student back then. I asked myself 'why' too. Why must he be the one who was sacrificed while the rest of us survived and grow up to where we are now? Why oniichan has to die?" Hikari shared with her her feeling. She looked away from Enomoto's eyes though wanting to hide her emotions. Enomoto sat down looking away to hear her out through the phone.

"That's why Enomoto-san must live on strongly for those you love and those who loves you. I believe your father felt that way too!" Enomoto noticed her tears was seen at the corner of the eyes. She felt that she was sincere. There was no way she was lying right? The two girls sat in silence. Enomoto stood up startling Hikari and the guard after a while. She spoke up.

"I'll think about the stupid life what you had said."

With those words she left her room. Hikari smiled eagerly. Enomoto smiled when she left the room. Her smile was filled with hope. The Chosen Chosen were human like her. In fact they had it tougher having to risk their lives at the front-line. They were indeed deserving to be known as 'heroes'.

* * *

Hikari had a dream of Taichi that night. Countless times, Hikari wanted to reach him but could not. She had almost forgotten how he looked like after so many years. But today, her eight-years-old self had finally caught up to him, she caught him by his hand.

Hikari leaned her head against his back quietly.

"I need to go." Taichi said looking up at the sky where a portal opened up.

"Oniichan…" Once again, she saw his body being lifted up to the air.

"You did well, Hikari. Hikari, tell dad and mum I'm sorry I haven't been a good son to them." Taichi handed her, her favourite whistle before peeling her hands off his.

"Live on my behalf." Taichi said that with kind and gentle loving eyes Hikari had missed so much. She finally got to take another look at his face. Hikari could only watched on helplessly as her brother vanished from her view in the air. His smile before he vanished etched in her memory. His smile resembled the sun.

Hikari woke up in tears holding the whistle tightly to her chest. She finally got the answers she needed. It was bizarre but she believed strongly that she received it from her brother. Her brother would always live on in her heart.

She decided that she would live on strongly on his behalf.

* * *

Her brother would be happy, right? Hikari squatted down to her partner patting her head with a smile looking up to the sunny sky together with Tailmon.


	5. Side: Koushirou

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Koushirou lost it when he found out of his failure. With the support of his friends, he picked himself up and he was entrusted with a mystery he would have to solve one day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Maybe if ideas allows, I will continue write in this timeline/dimension. This a different timeline where Taichi had never actually interacted with Nishijima Daigo. Maybe I should give Jou Gomamon back. :P
> 
> Digimon belongs to Toei.

Izumi Koushirou was unresponsive. He had holed himself in his office for the whole week. Lying on the sofa in his office, Koushirou stared up at the ceiling.

For the whole week he chose to rest and slept in. It was so unlike him who used to be able pull out late nights or even gone a few nights without sleeping. As long as he has his Oolong tea, he could survive. Oolong tea kept him going.

Koushirou was woken up by the sudden sharp brightness shining over his face. He barely opened his eyes. Turning over to his side, Koushirou's gaze fell on the bags of groceries. It was just like Mimi, she was worried.

Mimi had drawn up the blinds revealing the unkempt features of Koushirou. He had not even bothered to shave.

"There is no meaning to this." Koushirou muttered.

"What is? " Mimi turned to his direction in response with a gentle smile.

" _Please talk to Koushirou-han." Mimi recalled how Tentomon came to her anxiously asking her to save Koushirou. Palmon hugged her legs in sadness. They were lucky that it was not their time to part. Mimi knew Koushirou was taking it really hard on himself for his failure to stop Menoa and causing Yamato and Mei Mei to lose their partners._

"Everything." Koushirou turned his back against her. Mimi sat herself down beside Koushirou quietly. Koushirou was not looking at her. He was ignoring her.

"You know I always find you really awesome. You're smart, resourceful and always work so hard. You can really do anything and you're already a CEO at our age. Without you, I'm not sure if I can even start my own business. I'm sure you'll find a way to save Palmon and the rest. I have faith in you." Mimi said with a small smile. The sunlight shone over her and Mimi leaned back glancing over her shoulder smiling at Koushirou. Koushirou pulled a cushion and covered his head.

"You don't understand." Koushirou merely answered in his muffled voice. "I failed. I failed badly." His face scrunched up in frustration.

"Didn't you help Yamato-san and Meimei defeat the genius, Menoa and her Eosmon." Mimi tried to comfort him. She began to feel worried when Koushirou was not listening to her.

Koushirou's body was shaking with sound of sobbings. Mimi looked down worriedly. She never seen Koushirou looked so… defeated. She knew she'd never understand him. Koushirou was too smart for his own good. Mimi placed her hand on his shoulder and allowed him to cry. She could not help but to tear up with him. He would not suffer alone.

* * *

Koushirou sat up on his sofa after hours. It was nighttime. Mimi had left and nagged at him to eat something and she would be back the next day. He had no appetite. He felt empty.

" _Yamato-san, you're too emotional. You're not fit to be our leader!" His voice from long time ago echoed his mind._

That day, after he was discharged from the hospital, he asked him and Mochizuki Meiko over for a debrief. Yamato sounded a little reluctant and depressed. He demanded him to rest since he was just discharged. Koushirou waved it off. He got ample rest. Now it was time to work.

"Koushirou-han, they're right. Shall we leave it to another day?" Tentomon didn't have a good feeling.

"No, I need to make sure you're alright, Tentomon. Time is not on our side. Jou-senpai, Sora-san, Yamato-san and Mochizuki-san had lost their partners, and I can't afford to lose you too. Besides, what happened if there's another Digimon incident? I need to make sure we're ready to deal with that." Tentomon knew Koushirou was stubborn.

"Jou-san and Sora-san didn't really battle as hard as Yamato-san and they still lost their partners. Yamato had given orders to Daisuke and the rest not to push their partners to evolve into higher levels unnecessary. Menoa-san is right after all." Koushirou explained to Tentomon as he started up his PC.

Yamato came to him with a dark and solemn look in his dark leather jacket. Meiko coming by after her work in her black office wear as well. Koushirou was wondering how to comfort them but yet work come first. He needed to know what happened in Neverland. The loss of Agumon and Gabumon must have hit them hard. He was not going to give up. Both of them asked for a private debrief.

"Koushirou-san, I…" Mochizuki Meiko showed him her Digivice which had turned to stone.

Yamato was standing up looking out of the window, his hands was tucked in the pocket of his jacket. Koushirou was unable to read his expression.

"Yamato-san, I…" Koushirou tried to say something but was cut off by Yamato.

"You said I'm emotional. You're right. Heh… " He spoke up suddenly looking really serious. "If you want to hear, I'm more than willing to share, but let's see who is more emotional…"

Koushirou's eyes widened as he heard both of them shared their experience.

"Menoa-san… she…" Koushirou unable to comprehend. He stared at the spot near the sofa. The Incorporated Administrative Agency had done the clean-up and no evidence was left behind.

It was where he laid in the pool of blood clutching his chest and staring at Koushirou's unconscious state in despair.

"You're lying. This cannot be… Taichi-san… he died in the Digital World. You were the one who caused his death, don't you remember?" Koushirou pulled Yamato by his collar in fury.

"Believe it or not, I had shared what I know. You can always check with Imura, no, Yamada Kyotaro-san for the details." Yamato said pulling his hands off his collar. "We lost him." Yamato said in a barely audible tone.

Meiko looked at them in tears with her swollen red eyes. She was also at fault for not sharing with them she was in touch with a Chosen Child who had returned to the society from the reboot. She betrayed Agumon and everyone who loved Taichi.

" _If Digimon die in the human world, they can't be revived. That's where a reboot comes in. All those guys who died over there come back."_

These words from Dark Gennai he heard etched in his mind.

" _What if there is a possibility?"Koushirou could not help but feeling excited. He could not share in case he was wrong. Checking up all news doesn't help._ _Incorporated Administrative Agency had most likely covered up the trail preventing him from probing further threatening to arrest him and his parents would know._

_He had pulled off all his contacts, coming up with his own system and started his own company for the next few years. He needs to grow up, to break free._

" _Just in case, anyone had seen him? Taichi-san, please get in touch with us…" Koushirou was hopeful that the Digimon Community where the Chosen Children connect. If Taichi had indeed returned, he probably had lost his memories like their partners, he doubted there was any backup. Surely he had his Digivice._

_Yamato had been watching Koushirou and conducting his own investigation with Daisuke and his group's help since Koushirou and Yamato could not see eye-to-eye with one another._

The door bell rang and Yamato's image appeared in the monitor. Yamato came by to see Koushirou.

"Get lost!" Koushirou raised his with his hoarse voice and he started coughing due to his dry throat. Since when he last drank his Oolong Tea?

Noticing that Koushirou would not open the door for him. He decided to communicate to him through the screen.

"We met in Neverland. Taichi, he was about my height. I was actually relieved by this since I had been wondering about his height? It's funny really. Over the years during our adventures, I often pondered, what will he do if he's around. I always tried to compare myself with him. The fact is he is just like me, small and puny, yet trying to carry everything on his own." Yamato leaned against the wall as he talked.

"I wonder if he eats properly when no one is around watching him? What was his secret to get into college when he was six years behind us? He must be really focused. After all, he had a guardian who is a genius in studies to watch over him. He probably wanted to wait till he becomes an adult so he can look for us without being watched. Come to think of it did he have someone to talk to when he feels lonely? Yamada won't be a good choice, neither is Menoa… " Yamato wondered looking up in the ceiling.

"Ultimately, Taichi did look for us. That was why he came to your office. Koushirou, you're really amazing. There's nothing you can't do." Yamato trailed off.

"I may not be fitting as Taichi's replacement, but we still have Daisuke. He can certainly outdo him. Taichi would have wanted it that way. Poor Daisuke will have a lot more troubles and less time for his ramen trips around the world without our assistance. They need your help and we'll be waiting." Yamato turned around to face the camera with a firm look on his face.

"By the way, Taichi was happy. He smiled at the last moment of his life."

" _Even though it had been a short time, I'm happy to have gone to the Digital World with everyone. Thank you for being my friend."_

Koushirou watched Yamato left through the screen. He rubbed his face with his hands fast and hard. He was in tears crying loud and hard. Taichi came to look for him the day Menoa confronted him and took his consciousness. Fate just somehow prevented him from reuniting with them.

"I'm so sorry."

* * *

Miyako was busy cracking the password of phone they had cloned from Kamiya Taichi in their new base. Daisuke, Ken and Iori were watching her busy typing away.

"That guy sure had done it. He actually locked the phone." Miyako commented in frustration messing up her hair. They did not think he would have bothered tampering with a device coming from acquaintances he met only once. He had to be a secret genius trained under Menoa as she had been trying to hack the access code to his phone for hours in vain.

The door bell ranged while the boys were throwing in some keywords as suggestions.

"Could it be Takeru?" Iori was going to get the door. Daisuke was a little annoyed by his persistence to join them in their quests. Hikari-chan was more sensible to focus in her studies instead of hanging around with them.

"We do go to school." Ken corrected Daisuke. They did not have so much free time on hand to waste. Miyako need to return to Spain by night time in her time zone.

"Ah… Izumi-senpai?" Iori exclaimed in surprise. They did not expect to see him especially only they only revealed the location of this base to Takeru and Hikari so far. It had to be one of them.

"Nope. I have my way of finding this place." Koushirou corrected their assumption as he sat down in the bed.

"Ahh." The four of them stared at one another in unison. They pulled out their phones Koushirou had cloned their Digivices with as Koushirou was smirking at their back. They had given their locations away without even realizing.

"My system will prevent external interference preventing me from finding all of you. I don't want the same incident happening to all of you happening again. " Koushirou said with a serious look on his face. They were lucky to get away losing only about a year of their lives.

"Give it to me. I'll be able to crack it." Koushirou requested for the phone from Miyako. Koushirou took a deep breath when the phone with the sign of the Crest of Courage was handed to him. It took him only one attempt to unlock the phone.

* * *

Koushirou invested his time heavily having obtained the data from the battle in Neverland from the phone cloned from Taichi's Digivice. That was probably the only battle Taichi participated after the battle with Piemon that had killed him. Koushirou realised Taichi-san had always been connected with Agumon since his reboot and the two of them never realized it over the years.

There was still something he missed out. Koushirou narrowed his eyes looking at the data from Taichi's Digivice. He rubbed his forehead leaning back in his office chair in deep thoughts until Tentomon who came with bags of groceries arrived at his door interrupted him.

"Koushirou-han… Glad to see that you're back. Mimi-han was so worried about you." Tentomon said standing on his desk waves his hand watching Koushirou gulping a bottle of Oolong Tea down his throat.

Tentomon turned to his back and almost fell off the desk when he saw Taichi's profile was projected in the screen.

"Is that T-Taichi-han? He's alive?" Koushirou switch off the projection rubbed his forehead.

"I'll want to tell everyone that but I was still too late, Tentomon. He was so close yet so far."

He succumbed to the same injury he received from Piemon. His heart was punctured. Koushirou was piqued by the coincidence. He would not have expected Menoa was the one who murdered him. If only his consciousness was not taken. If only he had hidden the name list faraway from reach. Taichi-san might not be shot and he might not have died.

Koushirou buried his face into his own arms in defeat. Tentomon patted his head and accompanied him quietly.

* * *

Koushirou was seen making a scene when he heard the famous young genius, Menoa Bellucci, who was also a former Chosen Child, was going to be deported back to States. She was not even charged for murder. He came to the facility where she was detained and stopped the team escorting her in the middle of the road blocking their way.

"KOUSHIROU! THAT'S ENOUGH!" Yamato was seen dragging him away from a distraught looking Menoa who was led to the vehicle which would send her to the airport.

"Why can she even get away with this?" Koushirou threw a temper and attempted to punch Yamato who dodged on time. Daisuke and Ken who came with Yamato pulled him away.

"Koushirou-san, stop this. It's so unlike you." They had never seen Koushirou snapped to such an extent although he was often seen arguing with Yamato over the years. Back then they have Nishijima-sensei and Sora to cut them off. Right now, it was up to them. Mimi who rushed over in a cab walked over and gave Koushirou a tight slap on his face. This action startled the three boys and Tentomon.

The pain from her slap seemed to have woken something up within him.

"You're not the Koushirou I know! He is smart, hardworking and he'd never give up! " Mimi cried out in anger. Her palm was hurting from the slap to his face. Tears was beaming up her eyes. She didn't know the details but she knew he had not been himself. She wanted the Koushirou she knew to come back.

" _Let's see who is more emotional…"_

Koushirou rubbed his swollen cheek. Since when he became so emotional. Back then Yamato challenged him and Koushirou had never been so ashamed of himself. Mimi's slap had woken him up completely.

"I'm sorry, Mimi-san. Thank you for waking me up." Koushirou was then released from Daisuke and Ken's grasp realizing that he had calmed down. Mimi wiped off her tears from her eyes and smiled in response. Tentomon burst into tears witnessing the power of support from friends. Koushirou would really be alright now.

* * *

Koushirou was standing before Taichi's grave with a bouquet of chrysanthemum. This was the first time he visited his grave in the Real World rather than the makeshift grave they had built in the Digital World.

"I'm sorry, Taichi-san. I was not resourceful enough to find you." Koushirou placed the bouquet before the grave.

"Have you reunited with Agumon?" In Koushirou's mind, he had an image of Taichi and Agumon holding hands and leaving for a new adventure somewhere together.

"I'm not giving up. We might not be able to change our fate, but we will be able to change our destiny! I'm going to save Tentomon and the rest before the time comes."

* * *

_The black transport vehicle Menoa was on had turned back and pulled over on the side of the road where the group stood. The genius scientist, Menoa suddenly recalled something and requested to turn back so she could speak to them especially to Koushirou._

_The group were frozen in place after hearing from her. There was a_ _giant mysterious Digimon shrouded in shadow seen frozen in the in the darkest corner in Menoa's abandoned network server they needed to deal with before the_ _Incorporated Administrative Agency got to it_ _._

_Koushirou may have failed before._ _Menoa believed he and the Strongest Team could detect, discover and solve the mystery, perhaps get to the answers he needed._

_After all, there was nothing the young genius CEO, Izumi Koushirou could not do._


	6. Side: Jou

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jou lost Gomamon after the event with Eosmon. He was going on with his life as per normal, going through internship, trouble with needles, assessment from his father. An encounter with Mochizuki Meiko who often visit a secret floor where only his father had accessed to spark his curiosity. His discovery will change his life from then on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, the real plot of this story should start from here on.
> 
> Digimon belongs to Toei.

Jou yawned as he sat himself up in bed. Looking around, it was surreal to be waking up in the hospital as a patient.

"Gomamon? Gomamon? Gomamon, where're you?" Jou picked up his glasses from the desk at the side and wore it. Gomamon was nowhere in view. Jou dug his hand deep into his pocket to feel for his Digivice. His eyes widened in shock.

"GOMAMON!" His petrified Digivice was dropped on the ground.

Jou hung his head and dragged himself back to work. He had found out from Koushirou what happened just when he was preparing to get discharged.

"Once the possibilities disappear, the partnership ends…" Koushirou looked away from him. "Jou-senpai had decided on your future, so…"

"Gomamon…" Jou recalled their peaceful and happy times together. They also fought a lot too. It seemed like yesterday when they first met in the Digital World. Now they were forced to separate. He wondered how depressed Yamato and Sora must be.

"Jou!" His line of thought was disrupted by a pat on his back. Jou turned and saw his eldest brother, Kido Shin. He came here to meet up with their father for dinner who worked in the same hospital.

"Niisan." Jou tried to gather some power to greet him. Shin nodded. He knew what he was going through.

"Let's talk." Shin suggested.

Jou stirred lightly on his coffee in the cafeteria. He was down and depressed.

"It was a short time, xxxmon and I had some wonderful time together as partners." Shin recalled the first time he met his Digimon back in 2003. He was volunteering his time in an orphanage with Daisuke's elder sister, Motomiya Jun and both of them met their partner Digimon on the same day. The day they met, they already had a ring of circle appearing on their new Digivices.

They hadn't thought much in the first place. Getting to know their partners were more important to them. Treasure the time they had.

"Does Daisuke-kun know?" Shin nodded. In fact he was there when Jun's partner vanished. Jou stared at his brother in gaped mouth. Why didn't they share with them or even warned them?

"Life expectancy isn't something we can share about so openly, right? Gomamon and yourself had made the most out of your life. That's worth much more than being depressed until the last moment, isn't it?" Shin advised sipping his tea.

"Daisuke-kun had his own share of problem to deal with. I hope he could get over his issues." Jou smiled a little. He was not alone. Everyone had their nitty gritty problem to deal with.

"I haven't introduced my girlfriend to him. Gomamon asked me if she is even real." Shin almost choked on his tea. Jou scratched his head awkwardly. He was so busy that he only contacted his girlfriend through messaging.

Come to think of it, knowing Koushirou, he would find a way to solve this. Jou drank his coffee and suddenly feeling hopeful. Shin frowned at how quickly his brother pulled himself together and smiled. His little brother had grown up.

* * *

Jou returned to his position when his father just arrived to conduct the rounds. If one would comment about his feature, his eldest brother Kido Shin bore most resemblance of him. Dr. Kido was one of the best cardiothoracic surgeons in the country recording a 93% success rate of survival. He did quite a number of complicated surgeries many surgeons might not be confident in. As life was quite unpredictable, even for his father, he may not be able to save some lives.

Jou bowed in respect with other interns when his father walked by. He took a glance at Jou and nodded. After all, he was the son he least expected to trace his footstep, working hard to be a doctor while his two other sons chose to pursue their other dreams. He was about to call on Jou to help him with an injection as one of his assessment as an intern when a nurse ran to him anxiously and whispered something to his ears.

"Satou-kun, please take over. Jou, assist him. Let's go." Dr. Kido rushed off with the nurse.

"Some VIP patient crashed again. Dr. Satou, a young doctor who graduated last year remarked as he took over the needles. He would do the demonstration. Jou was gulped in nervousness.

"The patient is staring at you." Dr. Satou teased mischievously as the patient stared at Jou who was trembling with the needles he was holding nervously after Satou did the demostration. How was he going to uphold his dignity as a doctor in future if he was acting this way.

Jou sighed in defeat sitting down in the hospital waiting area. He still failed with his needles. Dr. Satou finished the job for him. How was he going to pass the final assessment later on? He was a little relieved that his father was not watching him.

"Are you alright?" Dr. Satou asked in concern, opening up his can of coffee from the vending machine.

"I'm fine. This isn't the first time I failed with the needles." Until he got over his fear of administering drugs with needles, he could not progress any further. Jou scratched his head trying to wave off his disappointment.

"You may find this crazy. Dr. Kido had often asked this when I was still an intern. Ask yourself, why did you choose to pursue a career as a doctor in the first place? Once you find the answers, you'll find your way. I have confidence in you."

* * *

Jou was about to call it day as he walked to the changing room. He spotted a familiar girl with black hair tied in a ponytail wearing office suit passed him by. He recognized her.

"Mochizuki Meiko?" Jou wanted to go over to greet her but it seemed that she was engrossed in her own thought to even hear him. He watched her checking in in the reception. She was here with flowers to visit someone.

"Isn't Jou-kun going home soon?" Nurse Janice, the reception greeted him after the door of the lift Mochizuku entered was closed.

"Never seen a beautiful girl? " She said teasingly noticing how Jou's eyes gawked on her. Jou waved frantically and sighed once more in defeat. He could never out-talk her.

"She's one of my friends, from the same high school with Mimi-kun and Koushirou-kun." Jou tried to explain to her standing in front of the counter.

"Who's she visiting?" Jou could not helped but to ask out of curiosity.

"It's classified. Not even we're allowed to know and only she is allowed to visit. That must be someone from the government since she works for the government." Nurse Janice whispered softly to Jou.

"And aren't you going home? Or do you want to work overtime?" The nurse who was of his mother age nagged.

"Yes ma'am." Jou ran off as nagged. His line of sight fell on the record on the PC and noted the level Mochizuki Meiko went to. It was a level "VIP" patients were treated. Only certain medical staff like his father were allowed to access.

* * *

Jou went through the next few days supporting the doctors and even helping out with loads of patients rescued from a collapsed building and bumping into Daisuke who was caught in the incident. He was lucky to get away with some scratches Jou helped to fix.

"You look great even though you're in a mess, Daisuke-kun." Jou commented pushing his glasses up after tying a bandage around Daisuke's arm.

"Really? I done something great, you know, Jou-senpai. I helped a woman delivered a life." Daisuke shared excitedly. It was the exact opposite from the other day when he spotted him dragging his feet in the street dejectedly. As it was raining and he lost him halfway.

"Looks like you're going to be okay." Jou slapped him on his shoulder so hard that Daisuke jumped in pain.

"Jou-senpai, I have a bruise there!" Daisuke sat down and pouted. He noticed Jou looked a little tired.

"I'm sorry about Gomamon." Daisuke thought he should show some concern.

"Don't worry about it. Gomamon and I are always together. " Jou and Daisuke looked out of the window.

* * *

"Mochizuki Meiko? You want me to find out about her?" Daisuke asked puzzledly. Daisuke was wondering why he ended up conducting detective work these days. He was also busy dealing with Digimon incidents.

"No, the patient she is visiting." As expected, Jou was curious. Daisuke nodded in acknowledgement.

"Anything about her and the agency is classified." Daisuke merely said. With an unreadable expression, Daisuke continued, "Incorporated Administrative Agency is a problem we have to deal with one day." Jou noted he clenched his trembling fist. Daisuke did not have nice impression of them due to the way they handled their disappearance five years ago.

* * *

His father was spotted waiting for the lift to the secret level Jou coined it. It was just happened that Nurse Janice had the runs in the toilet that he chanced upon an access card someone returned and left it at the counter.

Out of curiosity, he stalked his father. His father entered a monitor room. Through the glass door in the corridor of the ICU out of his father's view, Jou spotted a slender young man hooked up to a ventilator and his father was giving him a checkup clicking up the torchlight and shining it at his unresponsive eyes. Jou was unable to make out his feature with his face all covered by tubes connected to the ventilator helping him to breathe.

"This won't last. Eventually we will have to remove his life support if he doesn't regain his consciousness soon. The expense we are incurring to support him is just too costly without the Agency's support." An assistant commented behind Dr. Kido as he exited the room.

"I know. It was a difficult request but let's wait and see." Jou's father merely replied.

Jou hid in one corner, heaving a sigh of relief as his father left, sneaking into the room he just left. He just got to understand what kind of patient his father was dealing with especially he deserved such a special attention from a top surgeon like his father.

Jou picked up his medical record and read closely.

"Kamiya Taichi, 22, graduated from xxx College in New York… under custody of Incorporated Administrative Agency…"

"Eh? He was shot in the heart?" People would have died from such a wound. Jou was amazed by his father's ability to repair his injured heart to save his life. He turned to the young man. Maybe he would give him some support by talking to him.

Jou almost fell on his butt when he finally got close enough to see his feature. He could never forget the trademark huge brown hair that defied gravity.

"Tai… Taichi? Isn't that Taichi-kun?" Even reading his file was not enough to hit him that they were the same person. He finally recognised his friend and Jou was caught by his father by his arm for raising his voice. His father returned after hearing about the missing access pass from the counter.

Jou had a lecture that night and ended up being sent home. He was not in the right mind to work anyway. He could never forget how Taichi died from similar injuries inflicted by Piemon in the Digital World. Back then in the Digital World, there was no way to help him. Jou could only watched his friend died helplessly.

"But he's back in the Real World and grown up like all of us."

Jou did not know who he could speak to about it. He could not contain his excitement from his discovery. Taichi-kun whom they thought was dead for more than a decade was found alive. Jou suddenly found himself covering his nose and mouth with his hands shuddering in tears.

* * *

Jou decided to return to the hospital and asked his father to let him see Taichi anyway. He was suspended for a week but surely he could visit his friend, right? Jou didn't see his father in his office. He was out dealing with a patient who was making a scene. Jou decided to sit down and wait.

A nurse came barging in all the sudden and spotted Jou.

"What's wrong?" Jou asked the senior nurse in charge of that secret level.

"The patient in room 801 crashed again. Please get Dr. Kido fast." Jou's mind turned blank. That was the room Taichi was staying. He shook away the feeling away quickly.

"Lead me there, I'm a doctor too!" Jou requested.

* * *

"Please, Taichi-kun, don't give up!" Jou did chest compression after defibrillation shock failed to restart his heart. He could not give up, not now when he just found him.

"Taichi-kun!" Jou could not help but to raise his voice in desperation when there was still no response in the heart monitor. Jou wondered was he at his limit. He tried very hard to recall the procedures he could do and he spotted a sterilized injection needle nurse had placed on the desk. It was adrenaline his father often inject into the young man to force start his heart.

Shutting his eyes tightly, he cursed and took a deep breath. Jou finally took up the needle and injected Taichi with adrenaline directly to his chest and continued with CPR. Even then it was not working.

The nurse prepped a charged defibrillator paddle and urged Jou to try again like Dr. Kido would. Jou took it.

"Clear!" Jou never imagined himself taking charge in this kind of situation. He took a deep breath and Taichi's body jolted up from the shock. Jou turned to the monitor hoping for some response.

"TAICHI-KUN!" Jou didn't want to give up continuing with chest compression. He would never be able to face everyone again if he gave up.

His hard work paid off when weak rhythm of beeps was heard again gradually. Dr. Kido who just rushed in came to find his messy son in tears of relief. He managed to do injection. The medical staff finished the rest of the work keeping Taichi comfortable as he laid unmoving, tubed up with the ventilator.

Jou was ordered home by his father once again. Did he fail to control his emotion? He didn't want to go through that helplessness again when he watched Taichi died in the Digital World and he was helpless when he lost Gomamon without even a fight. He didn't even have chance to say anything.

His father was impressive for being able to repair the damage the nasty bullet had done to Taichi's heart and saved his life. His father wanted to keep this a secret for some reasons.

" _This is not for you to know, Jou, not yet. Please do not let anyone else in on this matter." Dr. Kido instructed sternly. Jou sensed the seriousness in his tone and nodded in understanding._

Jou left the monitor room and walked past Taichi's room where he laid quietly breathing weakly through the oxygen mask. The heart monitor was beeping steadily now.

"Taichi-san was not only mortally wounded physically. His consciousness was taken. While the other children had woken up after Eosmon was defeated, he fell into a coma after waking up for a short while." Jou was startled when he found a black-haired girl who tied her hair into a ponytail, in glasses crept up to him quietly, briefing him on the situation.

"Mochizuki-kun." Jou greeted forcing out a smile. Meiko placed her hands on the glass window tracing on Taichi's sleeping figure, gazing at him tenderly.

"My father and your father had been working together. They decided to lead the Agency to think that he had succumbed to his wound after the battle of Eosmon." She turned to Jou with determined eyes. She was planning something.

Light was emitting from Jou's pocket. Jou pulled out his frozen Digivice and blinked in astonishment. His Digivice was re-activated and glowed in gray.

A Digimon appeared from her back. Jou's eyes widened in horror.

"Jou!" Jou's jaw dropped when a white fury sea animal-like Digimon jumped into his arm pushing him off balance and fell on his torso. Jou laid flat on the ground to take a good look at him. He teared up seeing his partner well and active.

"Looks like Jou-san had made your choice to believe in possibilities. " Mochizuki Meiko smiled as she took something from her coat pocket.

"Help me, Jou-san. Let's change Taichi-san's destiny." Meiko held out a Digivice which was covered with cracks, glowing in golden light. There was a ring of life encircling the device.


	7. Side: Meiko

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mochizuki Meiko, a Chosen Child with unique trait of remembering things from various timelines. There was a person who caught her attention that she could not help but to get close to him in order to save him from his fate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Meiko has an unique setting. It will get confusing for her case as she hold memories from various dimensions. Part of this chapter is related to her chapter in "Digimon Adventure Tri: The Alternate Adventure - The Side".
> 
> Digimon is not mine.

_"Human and Digimon shared the common ideal, we desire a peaceful world. It's true there are differences between us between the way of living and power we hold. Which one of us doesn't have weaknesses? That was why we have friends, we form a team and partnership, to cover each other weaknesses and grow stronger together. My wish now is to defeat you and correct the flow of time and events to each and every dimension!"_

The sun had gone down. Mochizuki Meiko did not have a habit of going home early after office hours. Whenever she had the time she would come by the cemetery. She laid a bouquet of flowers for a friend by the grave.

"Yagami Taichi…" Her fingers fell on the engraving of the name. That was his real name. Meiko could not recall how many times she found herself standing before his grave in her memory. She came as an adult before, she was also here when she was in college. The memory was so vivid to her.

_She read the letter from him before his grave. He did not forget about her after leaving and he thanked her for the dinner with her family back then. It was a precious memory he would bring with him when he leave the world._

_"Watch out for your partner!"_

Meiko did not know until Meicoomon lost herself five years ago.

* * *

Mochizuki Meiko sighed she ran to a nearby building from heavy rain. She did not bring her umbrella along. Unconsciously, she looked up to the sky at the droplet on rain dripped directly on her face and let the rain fell on her. Meiko pulled off her hair tie as she closed her eyes and let the rain washed over her. She needed this badly.

"You'll catch a cold." Meiko's chain of thought was interrupted when someone held an umbrella over her. Meiko turned panickily to the owner of the umbrella.

"I'm so sorry." She bowed repeatedly for troubling the person to shield her from the rain.

"EH? Isn't this Meiko-chan?" The woman in her late forties recognized her. Meiko blinked in response. She was… if she remembered correctly.

"Yagami-san?"

"Yes?" Yagami Yuuko gave her neighbour a warm smile.

That was how she was invited to the Yagami Hikari's apartment. Meiko was staying nearby. Her father kept the rental of the apartment going so she could stay there when she attended college.

"I'm sorry for the intrusion." Meiko bowed to her after changing out her wet office wear. She was wearing a set of pajamas from Yuuko had taken from Hikari's wardrobe. It was a little smaller than her build but would do for now. It even had a kitty ear hood she could wear over her head.

"Looks like Hikari's clothes does fit you. Just a little tight." Yuuko smiled and nodded with satisfaction. Meiko saw Yuuko taking her clothes for laundry and wanted to stop her. She did not want to trouble her so much.

"It's okay. I'm washing them with Hikari and my laundry. All-girls only!" Yuuko pointed her finger energetically at an awkward Meiko.

"I'll get Hikari to send them to your place once they're dry."

"I'm so sorry. I'll pick it up instead after I washed Hikari-san's pajamas you had kindly lent to me." Meiko proposed. She should not trouble her so much.

"Stay for dinner tonight, Meiko-chan. Your parents are not here with you, right?" Meiko felt a sinking feeling washing over her when she heard her said that. This scene felt so familiar, from a far time and far place, except that her position was switched. She could not say no.

"Let me help you." Meiko noticed Yuuko was in the midst of preparing dinner. She took over the cutting after putting on an apron.

"Meiko-chan is rather skilled at this!" Yuuko was impressed at the cut she did on the carrots, onions, cucumber, fast and clean.

"I help my mother with her cooking back home." Yuuko was mixing some weird ingredients into mashed meat. Her face turned pale, being reminded by Izumi-san of her peculiar taste for her recipe that gave him the runs.

_"How did Hikari-chan survive?"_ Meiko shook her head and thoughts away as she chopped the onion away. This was getting more and more awkward.

"I want my boy to try this when he comes home one day." Yuuko suddenly blurted out with a sad little smile.

"Eh?" Meiko stopped her cutting and turned to her direction. Tears were seen at the corner of her eyes. Surely it did not come from her cutting of the onion.

"Yagami-san will definitely love this." She took the minced meat over and roll it into pieces of meat ball. She tried to dismiss that the idea of the possibility of Hikari's father did not like her cooking.

"Yes, he will love it." Yuuko was suddenly filled with motivation upon hearing her words and together the two of them made dinner.

"Meiko-chan is such a nice girl." Yagami Susumu exclaimed picking up a tempura prawn. Hikari was also back home with Tailmon. Hikari was surprised to see her. She only met her mother once when they were out for shopping and her mother remembered her.

"How's your day, Tail-chan? Had Hikari been a good girl?" Yuuko set dinner for the feline Digimon who accepted her meal gratefully.

"Okaa-san…" Hikari pouted in annoyance. Meiko burst into laughter at their interaction. They were such a fun and loving family.

"I'm so sorry." She waved panicky. She embarrassed herself again.

"It's okay, Meiko-chan, it had been a long time since we're so lively for dinner." Susumu remarked and gave her a meatball. Meiko took a meatball and stared hard.

Should she eat? Tailmon liked it she realized. The cat Digimon was licking her paws.

_"How does it feel to have a family?"_

Meiko suddenly felt chill down her spine and blinked. The scene sizzled into another place and time. Meiko found herself back home when she was in Kyoto when she was in middle school. She was having dinner with her family and there was someone else who was with her.

_"The meatball is the nicest I had ever tasted." That person choked on his tears._

"Meiko? Meiko…" Meiko was snapped back to the present. The memory felt so real.

"Eh?"

"A penny for your thought?" Hikari asked Meiko who had been staring at the meatball as though it was an enemy she had to overcome. Hikari resisted not to laugh.

"Eh? I'm so s-sorry." Meiko could not stop apologizing. The Yagami stared at her in silence for a moment and they burst into laughter.

* * *

Hikari invited Meiko to her room informing her parents that they were going to have a sisterly talk. They had so much in common and in fact, Meicoomon's child form was actually Plotmon.

"Are you feeling better?" Meiko asked Hikari. Hikari nodded. She was grateful to Meiko for coming to see her when she needed it that day and helped her out.

"I'll be okay from now on." Hikari made a promise to herself. Meiko smiled at her words. Hikari had cleared the air with Enomoto Suzu who assaulted her. The Incorporated Administrative Agency would certainly interfere should Hikari was hurt. As much as possible, she wanted Hikari faraway from the Agency.

"Your parents are very nice." Meiko commented. They wanted her to come over more often.

"It had been a long while since we last laughed like this. It was thanks to you, Meiko-san." Hikari had Tailmon sat on her lap.

"As expected, I'm really envious of you." Staring at Tailmon and Hikari reminded her of lost partner.

"It seemed like yesterday when I erred and forced Tailmon to do a dark evolution and ultimately caused Meicoomon's demise." Hikari muttered in regret.

"Hikari?" Tailmon did not want her to blame herself from what happened.

Meiko placed her hands over Hikari's and held them gently.

"Stop saying this. You guys were helping me all and I was the one causing all of you trouble." Meiko recalled her adventure with Hikari and friends five years ago. They were lucky there were at least five external helpers assisted them. They managed to rescue Tailmon with a device known as the 'Brave Snatcher' but they were forced to take Meicoomon down confirming that she was infected with some data which could destroy the world. It was Meiko's decision to destroy Meicoomon and Agumon decided to become her partner and assisted the helper's Digimon to finish her off.

Meiko did not know if she would ever reunite with Meicoomon again and Agumon wanted to stay by her side.

_"I don't know why, it's like with Ken, I must stay with you to find some answers." Agumon merely said. "More importantly, I like Meiko a lot, so I will stay with Meiko until you find a knight with shining armour."_

_"Knight in shining armour, where did you learn it?"_

_"Some books like Cinderella, Snow White Meiko have in your room."_

_"What?"_

_"I read them all, and a book Meiko wrote about how a meatball can make one cry! Meiko, please make me a meatball I'll cry eating."_

_"Agumon!" Meiko realized he read her diary._

Meiko was really grateful to all of them. She had somewhat walked to the room beside Hikari's after exiting her room, she was unconsciously hoping to see someone behind that door. Meiko shook her head in denial.

"He should have moved out by this period of time."

* * *

"Thank you for having me here." Meiko bowed at the door to the Yagamis. It was just nice that her clothes were dried up so she need not run home with Hikari's kitty pajamas with hood.

"Please come over often. We're happy to have you." Meiko smiled in acknowledgement. "Hikari will need an elder sister she doesn't have." Yuuko said pulling her into a hug startling Meiko.

"My boy will be your age if he's still around." Yuuko whispered to her ears in tears. Meiko then realized she was not referring to Yagami Susumu, but someone else she knew. At the back of Meiko's mind, the scene changed where she saw a middle school boy with a huge hair that defied gravity bowing at her door, she knew they had dinner together in another place and time in her apartment.

Meiko came to the hospital that night instead of going home. Greeting the lady in the reception, she picked up the access pass and took off to the secret floor. Meiko could not helped but she really wanted to see him.

She reached the room where the young man she swore to help were lying in. There was no change in his condition but at least he did not crash today. His existence was a secret between herself, Dr. Kido and her father.

"Taichi-san…" Meiko placed her hand on the glass window watching his still form.

"In many of my memories, I had seen you die. This time, will you please hang in there?"

"I'll save you." In her mind, she had many versions of memories from different time of her life and they seemed so real even though some of them did not happen. She just saw the event with her mind parallel of what she was going through at the same time. She had met Taichi somewhere some time and they had been good friends, or maybe even closer. She could even remember the warmth from his hand in one of her memories when he grabbed her hand and they both started to run.

_"That boy… he'll go through extreme tribulation. He has to be destined for the Crest of Miracle to have a chance of getting out of this."_

* * *

"Here are the document, Agent Mochizuki." One of the fellow officers, Agent Kaho from the Incorporated Administrative Agency passed Meiko the reports on the Digimon incidents that happened for the week.

"Ad-hoc Agent Motomiya and his team had swiftly dealt with it and closed this case." Meiko listened to his summary. He handed her a profile of another Chosen Child whose name was strike off from the list of Chosen Children and a list of newbies who just encountered their partner Digimon.

"With more and more Chosen Children having their partnership dissolved eventually, what are we going to do when there is no one else who can deal with Digimon incidents? The newly Chosen Children doesn't seem to have the capability to fight and their Digimon are acting like pets." Meiko was in deep thought.

"I'm proposing to convert them into the Defense Force." Kaho suggested hoping Meiko could agree and help him to convince their Chief.

"No, I disagree." Meiko was firm about it. She had to say she was not cut out for this too.

"Why? They are chosen by Homeostasis to protect our world, isn't it? Power comes with responsibility. They don't deserve to have a partner if they are not taking up any responsibility to defend us. "Kaho retorted.

Meiko slammed on the table in response standing up. She could be socially awkward out there but in office, she needed to stay firm. "They should be allowed to decide on their future. Not a future we force on them."

Meiko decided to go and see the Chief to find out his intention.

"Agent Mochizuki didn't like the idea? I thought Agent Kaho's idea is interesting. Senior Agent Himekawa did propose this too." A modified voice was heard through her the speaker in the interview room. A swiss roll was seen being cut into pieces and there was a shadow watching her through a screen.

"Our wager is still valid right, Chief?" Meiko wanted to affirm this.

"Of course, as agreed, I won't interfere with your plan and you don't interfere with mine. " The voice said as a shadow figure picked up the piece of swiss roll and ate it.

"Who knows. You're the most untrustworthy person I ever encountered. You don't have any belief." Meiko stated. As she got her answer, she left the room. No one had ever seen the Chief of the Incorporated Administrative Agency in person. Orders and policies were made and approved remotely. Not even her father and Homeostasis' agent, Hackmon. All she knew was neither Homeostasis nor Yggdrasil was the Chief.

* * *

Meiko frowned as she noticed someone was watching her and it not just one as soon as she stepped out of the building.

"Just come out, I already seen you, Motomiya-san, Ichijouji-san, Hida-san." Meiko yelled in annoyance. She just needed an avenue to scream.

Daisuke and V-mon fell off from the back of tree on their butt while Ken, Iori and their partners walked out casually.

"You guys are really amateurs." Meiko sighed. They needed to count their lucky stars that she was not a target like Alphamon. Their Digimon could not help them.

"Eh hehheh…" Daisuke scratched his head. He got a request from Jou-senpai this time to check up on her.

"I have something to ask Mochizuki-san. " Daisuke urged Meiko to come closer, his gaze was firm. He had something important to ask her.

"Mochizuki-san, are you the enemy?" Daisuke lowered his voice looking her into her eyes unwavering.

"Daisuke-kun, you can't be too direct." Ken had reminded him umpteen times from confronting her directly. They could lose their lives if she had weapons such as guns to silence them. They knew what it could do to them.

"He has me." V-mon replied Ken who facepalmed. Wormmon high-fived with V-mon. "Ken-chan has me."

"Iori has me, dagya!" Ken frowned and Iori with a poker face patted him with a thumbs-up.

"Is the Agency the enemy?" Daisuke asked again.

Meiko looked Daisuke into his eyes. She closed her eyes and smiled. They had not changed at all. Even the defeat by Alphamon, confinement by Yggdrasil did not scare them off.

"Partners are one another's hope. There is nothing you can't do with partners supporting you. Even so, you should decide on your own future. We're on the same side. I had told Jou-san everything I know including things you don't know." Meiko merely replied. She had managed to get Jou-san to help her. Hugging Armadillomon, Iori turned to Ken who had Wormmon on his arms in doubt. Ken shrugged and shook his head. He did not know what Meiko was talking about even with his intellect.

* * *

"Nishijima Daigo, Himekawa Maki, Menoa Bellucci… I don't even need to lift a finger and they will do the job as fate dictated. Was allowing them to keep their memories a mistake? Show me what you can do, Mochizuki?" The screen of the laptop sizzled to a screen with Digimon hidden in Menoa's abandoned network server in NYC.


	8. Side: Miyako

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Miyako encountered an art with a mysterious Digimon. Without the why, there was no what and how. Miyako and Ken would never have been chosen as Chosen Children.

"Right. Ok, I'll leave it to you guys, Ken-kun." Miyako hung up. She should have joined them in stalking Mochizuki Meiko.

Miyako was busy typing away in the so-called new base Daisuke and the rest had acquired. As the boys had another mission on hand, she was free to do what she wanted. She had a keen interest in art which she developed while she was overseas.

Miyako leaned aback on the chair and scanned around the apartment the reboot Chosen Child, Kamiya Taichi stayed. While she liked the idea of staying alone, she preferred to have company at times. She kinda missed the time she was staying with her family. This place was certainly lonely. She was in her own world until Hawkmon decided to interrupt her.

"Miyako-san, what is this?" Her partner, Hawkmon held up something which made her blushed in embarrassment.

"AHHHHHH, give it to me, Hawkmon you perv!" Right before Miyako was a DVD cover of a young pin-up loli in bikini!

"Miyako-san has this piece right? Yours if I remember correctly comes with black spot like a cow!" Hawkmon continued to describe Miyako's collection of bikinis.

"Hawkmon, I didn't expect you to be a perv!" She shoved Hawkmon on his head and attempted to pull the Adult DVD from him.

"I don't understand why the rest of them get to bath with their partners but not me and you!" Hawkmon was getting into her nerves. He knew more than he looked. All the more she needed to pull the DVD off him.

"You need to be female like me to join me in bath. You know, it's gender issue, gender!" The tug-of-war continued until both became tired, panting on the ground.

"I didn't know he has such taste." Miyako could not believe her eyes when she found a few more under his blanket. Was it just curiosity? Miyako saw an artwork at the wall framed up behind her. It was similar to what Menoa had at her place. This was an art of a knight Digimon with angelic wings in white silhouette. From the silhouette, it had a cannon on his right and a sword on its left. She gasped in surprise.

"I need to look around more." She realized when she looked in closely pushing up her glasses. Kamiya Taichi was not as simple as expected. They were aware of this since he had locked the phone they had given to him. Izumi-senpai had taken the phone back for further investigation. He was an important clue linked to Menoa Bellucci and her research. They needed to learn more about what was planning since she kind of instigated Izumi-senpai to find out and solve it.

Miyako and the boys had become members of the Incorporated Administrative Agency also the Data Bureau to check up on them. To them, they were a fishy Agency which was involved in Yggdrasil and his plan. The investigation had been ongoing since they got out of the hospital five years ago. Until now, they had no clue since the Agency had been operating discreetly after a former Chosen Child Himekawa Maki had gone missing.

Sighing, Miyako squat before a little fridge and opened it. Conveniently, she found some cans of beers.

"Bingo!" She needed something like that to ease her stress. It was too quiet with just her and Hawkmon. Hence, she just helped herself with the remaining six cans of beers.

"Let's drink, Hawkmon!" Miyako suggested. Lying on the ground, Miyako reflected how she had grown into an adult while Hawkmon and the rest still looked the same. While she liked her freedom as an adult now, perhaps she still wanted to remain a child.

"Cheers!" She clicked her can of beer against Hawkmon's.

"We should really get V-mon to join us next time. V-mon is really good in holding his liquor."

"Daisuke-kun'll really jump on us but wait, he can drink with us soon! " Miyako and Hawkmon were really discussing on how to get Daisuke to drink and how much he could hold. Kamiya Taichi was out after two glasses when she tried to get him to drink when he looked rather depressed.

"What about Wormmon?"

"He was drunk with just one sip!"

"I can see Ken-kun drunk now." Miyako was laughing with her face flushed red.

Miyako could not helped but to reflect that time really flies and they would become an adult soon.

"Will we have to part, Hawkmon?"Miyako grabbed Hawkmon by his hand. Hawkmon was an ancient Digimon who had been serving Miyako even in the past. Even so, he could not answer her. Surely, they needed to have some faith.

"I'll be here for you, Miyako-san." Hawkmon held out his other hand and place it on top of Miyako. Miyako smiled, tears welling her eyes on her flushed red face.

The two of them drank until they were knocked out.

* * *

Miyako and Hawkmon woke up to a group of her young friends whose faces were all flushed red in embarrassment. To her horror, the adult DVDs were scattered all around her.

"AHHHHH!"

"You need to be an adult to watch that." Iori started lecturing Miyako to be mindful of these since the three of them were all underaged.

"Bang!" Iori and Miyako was startled by the sudden banging of the table. Ken was especially pissed muttering something under his breath. Iori was somewhat surprised to see Ken acting that way. Ken needed to arrest the owner who collected the DVDs when he had a chance to travel across time and dimension again. Armadillomon was suggesting to V-mon and Wormmon to give these to Yamato or Koushirou who might need them more.

"Don't you need to go home now?" Daisuke asked nonchalantly squatting beside her who was lying on the ground. It was morning in Japan and Miyako had not went home, it was midnight in Spain now.

"Why didn't you wake me up earlier?" Miyako cried pulling her hair in annoyance.

* * *

Ken offered to walk Miyako back to her home in Spain. A girl like her should not wander around that late at night after all. With their ability to open a gate anywhere, going home was actually a breeze, she could head straight to her room and there was no need for Ken to follow her around but Miyako allowed him to do so anyway.

He wanted to fill her up on their findings. Ken carried Wormmon on his arms as they walked down the quiet street.

"We followed up on Jou-senpai's request. As expected, we uncovered more things about Mochizuki-san and why she was with the Agency." Miyako nodded absorbing his words carefully.

"What?!" She almost wanted to jump when she heard some stuff.

"Shh!" Ken took her into his free arms to prevent unwanted attention from the people who slept in the street. Miyako blushed feeling his breath over her head. Hawkmon poked his head hiding behind a vehicle nearby. They did not need any more attention.

"Good night, Miyako." Ken and Wormmon would head back to Japan using her laptop at home.

"Take care on your way home, Ken-kun." Ken smiled at her in response before they disappeared into the screen.

"I can't imagine when we lose ability to do that when we're force to part, Hawkmon." Miyako removed her earrings and head band as she got ready for a bath.

"I won't be able to see the boys anytime I want. " Miyako pouted, pulling out towels and her pajamas from her wardrobe.

"You still have me, Miyako-san." Miyako turned to Hawkmon. He seemed rather confident that they would avert the fate of having to separate.

"We'll always be together, no matter which era and dimension we're in." Hawkmon offered his hand to Miyako who smiled and took it.

"Yes, my partner." Miyako pinched Hawkmon on his nose and shut him out of her bathroom. "Stay out there, you'll get your turn to bath later!"

Little did they knew; they were visited by a mysterious Digimon standing on top of the street light near Miyako's apartment.

* * *

Miyako had a dream that night. She was in another place, location or was it dimension? Everywhere was dark. She took a step back and knocked against a man who sat behind her in a sofa. She turned around and spot a man with trimmed brown hair likely in his thirties in office suit. Miyako _was sure_ she had never met him before, but she certainly felt an odd sense of familiarity.

"Of all Chosen Children, I'd never expect you'll be the one to find your way here." The man greeted her with a cheerful smile which Miyako didn't feel his excitement at all. She spotted a golden crest he was wearing on his wrist. It bore the same insignia from a certain golden Digimental Daisuke ever used.

"Who're you?" Miyako demanded pointing at the man. "Where is this?" She was going to act as though she was not afraid of him.

"Your partnership with your partner Digimon would come to an end eventually and there is no way you guys can change it." The man smirked and that somehow irked Miyako. Behind him, there was a Digimon emitting flames in the shadow. He wanted something from her. He snapped his fingers calling it to do something. Fear erupted in Miyako's chest as the Digimon approached her.

Miyako'e eyes snapped open and she found herself somewhere else.

* * *

Miyako was in the Shibuya crossroad. Everyone were crossing the road moving on with their lives and nothing else mattered.

"Hawkmon, where are you?" She cried out in fear when she spotted a young man with huge brown hair whom she recognized from five years ago standing from distance in the crowd staring right at her. He was Taichi-san who travelled from another time and dimension to help them and Miyako noticed he was in his High School uniform. They believed he was the Chosen one who broke the curse on himself. What brought him here?

"You're Taichi-san?" Miyako wanted to greet him finally reaching him after squeezing through the crowd.

High School Taichi did not say anything. He merely pointed behind her. Miyako turned around and saw Hawkmon waving sadly at her. He was trying to say something but it was inaudible to her. Miyako could more or less figured out the words from his mouth movement.

"I'm sorry!"

"Hawkmon!" Miyako watched in horror as Hawkmon disintegrated into data all the sudden and behind Hawkmon, there was a Digimon emitting flame shrouded in shadow. She was overwhelmed by the darkness around him as her D-3 became frozen and fell into the ground.

* * *

"What the heck?" She needed to get back to her studies. A mysterious Digimon stood outside her window folding his arms, his right hand was holding Miyako's frozen D-3.

"Your bond with your partner doesn't belong here…" The Digimon said before vanishing from the scene.

* * *

Miyako found herself before a High School boy at her apartment. She was very shocked that they could enter her apartment freely. It had been a long time she thought she last saw him before she came to Spain, she recgonised him as her young neighbour from Odaiba.

"Isn't this Iori-kun?" Miyako exclaimed pointing at him and he had a yellow armadillo-like monster with three-clawed limbs and a short tail with him.

"You aren't in touch, we're worried." Iori said politely. "Sorry for the intrusion. We need to know if you're okay."

"Daisuke-san is meeting Ken-san. He had not been answering us as well. I'm really glad Miyako-san is fine." He smiled sitting on her bed while Armadillo monster was looking around in her fridge. The monster was turning her place upside down looking for something.

"Just who is he? A Digimon?" Miyako asked Iori anxiously. "Please stop! I know we're neighbours since many years back but this is Spain and I have my privacy. I'm going to tell your grandfather if you don't stop." Iori's eyes widened at her words. Miyako took out a badminton racket and pointed at Armadillomon in defence. Iori stood up quickly to defend Armadillomon before the racket stopped inches from his face.

"What did you say, Miyako-san?" Iori asked carefully briefly opening his eyes. He did not want to believe what he'd heard and Miyako almost did.

Iori glanced around turning to his partner Digimon who shook his head.

"Iori-kun, Hawkmon is nowhere to be found, dagya." Iori's eyes turned dead serious absorbing his words.

"What happened to you and Hawkmon? Miyako-san?" Iori showed his D-3 to her. Miyako felt a prick on her chest when she saw her young neighbour clenching his trembling fist looking straight at her.

Miyako could not find any word. She did not recognize the device he had nor she recognized the aramdillo monster as his so-called partner. Why was Iori reacting this way? Who is this Hawkmon they were looking for? She did not know what was going on at all.

In fact, she felt there was a gap, a blank in her memory.

* * *

The next time she witnessed the battle between Digimon, she was holding on to Ichijouji Ken's arms. Like her, before this, Ken was also confused by the turns of the events. The so-called partner Digimon were vanishing one by one throughout the world. They lent their hands to support the Chosen Children in getting close to the Digimon that froze them in time and space. He resembled the silhouette of the white knight Digimon with angelic wings art piece she saw from Kamiya Taichi's place. That Digimon was the cause of the gap in her memories.

"I'll go through hell and back to make things right, Ken, Miyako. I'll bring Wormmon and Hawkmon back." A Japanese ramen master's disciple who called himself Motomiya Daisuke, their best of best friends, wearing a weird sunglasses looking fishy promised them sincerely. On his hand, he was grasping a pair of goggles tightly by the black band. Miyako felt guilty for not knowing how to help him.

A blue small dragon Digimon grabbed Motomiya's hand to calm him down. Behind him was her neighbour, Iori nodding to them in acknowledgement.

"Daisuke, let's give it our best shot." V-mon declared holding up his fist in anticipation. Daisuke had a device which was emitting glowing ring of circle and it reminded her of a clock ticking down. He had limited time left with his partner Digimon as well.

She watched Daisuke and various Chosen Children heading into a barrier for a final battle. They needed to let her and Ken see something to allow the validated events to fall into place they said. Without the why, there was no what and how. Miyako and Ken would never have been chosen as Chosen Children.


	9. Side: Menoa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Menoa Bellucci was a Chosen Child from the same batch as Nishijima Daigo and Himekwa Maki. Being entrusted with unwanted burden, to the extent of experimenting on another Chosen Child, she embarked in a path of no return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Spoiler is certain. The characterisation are different from the canon. Menoa and Imura were from the same group of Chosen Children with Nishijima Daigo and Himekawa Maki in my fanfic.
> 
> Digimon is not mine.

**Side: Menoa**

**Year 2005**

The plan for a reboot was successful. Professor Mochizuki was able to obtain data which was translated to blood and fresh to a real life human. In the experiment lab, an unconscious teenage boy was trapped in a tank filled with water. His mouth was plugged with tubes that fed him oxygen needed to keep him alive.

The boy's eyes were open staring at them out of curiosity. His hand reached out to the glass before him weakly. His hair was floating from the water pressure. There were some people in lab uniform gathered before him watching him as if he was some exhibit.

"The boy who was turned into data and back." They described. One of the lab officers was a lady with orange hair with her long hair braided to her side and she had a butterfly clip on it. Her eyes were fill with amazement. There was another lady with shoulder length hair who looked older and uninterested.

"Maki-senpai, are you giving him to me?!" The girl clapped her hands together in excitement.

"Don't be too overly happy. Daigo will find out." The older lady in lab coat folded her arms and said.

"By the time, I'll have collected the data I need. Thanks for the research data on Digimon genetics as well. With this, I'll make our dreams come true."

"All I want is to reunite Taprimon. You can have the rest." Himekawa Maki said flipping through the papers on the clipboard.

The profile of that boy caught her attention. It was a cheerful boy with huge and messy brown hair, he had a pair of goggles complemented with a blue band he wore around his head his hand was touching on in the photo. This boy was killed in the Digital World and he was disintegrated into data. He was recently found reconfigured and unconscious by the Incorporated Administrative Agency. Apparently, no one put up missing papers for him which made things easier for her.

The boy who looked older than his profile in the tank stared at Menoa Belucci in confusion.

* * *

**Months later**

Roar of lighting was heard in a room of darkness. In a bedroom, scribbling was heard in increasing speed and it was getting louder. A girl was seen writing hard on pieces of paper in the dark. Droplets of sweats and tears dripped on the pieces of paper she was scribbling.

"AHHHH!" The girl burst into tears of frustration.

"WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? Why did you have to leave me, senpai? WHY DID YOU LEAVE ALL THESE MESS TO ME!" Her eyes ball constricted at the status update on her PC screen. There were a few capsules found in the straits in Odaiba and a few Chosen Children were found residing in it. None of it contained her friends she knew.

Menoa Belucci was entrusted to take over the missing Chosen Children as planned. She hacked into the server and obtained all the information to have the full control for the Chosen Children found to be orphans. She had also inserted some information to cover their involvement with the missing Chosen Children, Motomiya Daisuke and his three friends.

Her senpai, however, was nowhere to be found. She did not want to believe her both Himekawa Maki and Nishijima Daigo were both gone.

" _I want them to be happy. Meno-chan feel the same too, right? There's no need for more tragedy like we had been through…" A male a few years older than Menoa with olive-green hair said to her by the coast after they retrieved a few unconscious human from Odaiba and Hikarigaoka. Menoa's gaze fell on the few young boys being moved into the ambulances in a distance away. They were children that were reconfigured from the reboot._

" _Meno-chan, can you help me to take care of them should anything happens to me?"_

_"Daigo-senpai, what're you planning to do?"_

" _Accomplish what I failed to do as the leader of the Chosen Children." Nishijima Daigo held his goggles he had hidden away for years tightly in his grasp._

"And so you sacrificed for the Chosen Children. Hahahaha! How hilarious!" Menoa covered her tearful eyes with her arms. Himekawa Maki and herself actually made a fool of him. They let the reconfigured Chosen Children to be found by Nishijima on purpose after Himekawa disappeared to the Digital World.

A Digimon appeared behind her. Menoa had a shock when the light of the lightning shown on that Digimon. She knew the Digimon. It was the Digimon that travelled across time and dimension that aimed to change their destiny.

* * *

It was not just Nishijima Daigo. Even Professor Mochizuki were kept in the dark when he contributed greatly in Menoa's research unknowingly by experimenting on his daughter's partner Digimon. He should have known better that he was being used to trigger the reboot and almost caused the destruction of the Real World. He demanded the boy to be returned to the society as soon as he found out the truth behind. In order to keep doing what Professor Mochizuki had given up to do, Menoa accepted his request.

Menoa visited the sample in the hospital when he finally woke up. The boy's eyes blinked in confusion. He looked older than his profile. Seems like the Digital World did not freeze his age as she would have assumed. He would be in High School this year.

"Hey, you've finally woken up." Menoa spoke gently trying not to startle him. The boy with huge brown and messy hair turned his head to her direction.

"Who are you? Who am I? Do I know you?" The boy asked weakly through his oxygen mask. He had some IV stuck to him. His gaze looked confused and tired.

"Kamiya Taichi." She greeted cheerfully looking gently into his eyes.

"Welcome home." The boy named Taichi blinked. From then on, she would have him around her fingers acting as his guardian.

* * *

Taichi was recuperating for the next six months in the hospital to regain his motor ability. It was hard to see him falling on the ground an trying to get back on his feet to walk again. His arms and grasp were weak too. They were repercussion from the six years he lost.

He had a heart condition as well much to Menoa's surprise when the doctor told her. When Menoa looked into it, it could be a repercussion from the fatal injury he received in the Digital World.

_"No matter how the event flowed in time, he can't escape for he was dealt the curse when the crest was activated to grant his wish."_ Menoa frowned at the words a mysterious Digimon told her that night.

Menoa had visited him as often as possible. It took time to gain his trust. He seemed trusting but he was not dumb. He asked her about his past life obviously and obviously she made up something which he seemed to believe her about it. He believed his family abandoned him because he was ill.

Nevertheless, Taichi needed to finish his studies in NYC. There was a programme she was in that allowed her to skip grades if she was found to be exceptional and she would get Taichi on it so he could blend into the society soon. She promised Taichi that he could come back to Japan to find his former family when he completed the programme and by the time he would have become an adult.

* * *

A Chosen Child reconfigured from the reboot had escaped. Menoa was fine since he had no clue with that Digimon in control of the situation and he would like to deal with him on his own personally.

As for the other one, he had no adventure recorded at all but Menoa was happy to get her hands on his research papers on Digimon she received from Maki-senpai. She would engaged in further research on data genetic.

As long as Menoa had access to Taichi's consciousness and memory, that's good enough. She turned around and watched as Taichi struggled in the MRI when she attempted to extract his memory. She often had him drugged and transported to her basement. Taichi would not remember what happened the next day and he would live his days as per normal.

This had gone on until her assistant Imura Kyoutarou, also a Chosen Child from their group stumbled on her experiment in the basement. He had no complete picture. He had found out Taichi's background which he wanted to share with him. Menoa didn't think Taichi need to know now.

"Are you intending to keep it from him?" Imura questioned her cornering her in her lab.

"Daigo will not agree with this if he's still around. You're conducting experiment with Taichi-kun. This is human experimentation and you're exploiting his right as a human."

"Well, senpai is dead. Maki-san is also gone. We're the only ones left, Yamada-san." Menoa was right not to involve him in this research, the boys were too soft-hearted for this. Imura was shocked to hear her calling by his real name. She recognized him.

"Look at how Taichi-kun is doing? We can take it all back by going through reboot again. We can get Daigo-senpai and Maki-senpai back." Imura seemed to be enticed by this idea like she did when Maki-senpai shared with her on Project R. She would fulfill Maki-senpai and their wishes.

Little did she expect that Taichi had overheard her conversation. She decided to finish the research with him as soon as possible and so she sent people to capture him who had since become a young adult.

* * *

**Year 2010**

Taichi met her in a hotel when he came to Japan while she was floating in the pool lying on the float.

"You're also one of the former Chosen Children?" He asked her despite already knowing the answer. He had done his homework well taught by her. She was impressed by his courage to come to her even after knowing about what she had done to him.

"Was it sad to part with your partner Digimon?" Menoa sat by the poolside and had a sip of water ready to tackle all the questions he had. This was something she did not expect.

"We were forced to part and I have no control over it." Menoa closed her eyes as she spoke. She had no intention to hide if it was just about her and her partner. She had wonderful memories like Maki-senpai and Daigo-senpai too.

"I don't want others to end up like us. Don't you think it's unfair we had to part because we had done our part and grew up?" Taichi sat beside her like an obedient child listening to her words attentively.

Menoa looked at him and she extended her hand to caress his face. Come to think of it, Taichi had grown up before she realized. It was so unbelievable since she first seen his profile as an Elementary School child. Taichi was lost since he was a child. She was pretty sure his Partner Digimon was devastated when he was forced to part with him.

"I see." It was the first time since they first met Taichi heard her narrating her adventure with Nishijima Daigo and other two comrades. This was the first and the last time they had a heart-to-heart conversation.

"Will I be able to meet my Partner Digimon?" Taichi stole a glance at his Digivice he was eagerly feeling for in his pocket. Taichi wanted to see him, he wanted to apologise to him for making him suffer like Menoa did at least before their time to separate is up.

"I'm sure you'll be able to." Menoa smiled sadly. That was why she was pouring so much time on Digimon research. She saw Taichi suddenly clutched his chest and struggled to catch his breath. Menoa smirked before cradling him as he collapsed into her arms. Her drug was beginning to do its work even if it's slow.

"You might be able to change your destiny, that's what I thought. I'll free you from your pain soon." Menoa whispered softly as she placed a blanket over Taichi. She had put him to sleep by drugging him with a needle to his neck earlier by the pool when he was suffering from an attack. She went through the list of drugs she used on him to trigger a relapse from his old ailment since the last time she captured him for experiment. Glancing at Taichi who was unconscious, she caressed his peaceful sleeping face and brushed his hair gently before leaving her hotel room. She would proceed with her plan to save them all.

* * *

Izumi Koushirou would be a formidable opponent if it was not that she was a step ahead or so she thought. The genius CEO was lying unconscious on the floor. Menoa smiled holding on to the thumbdrive where she saved the name list of 30,000 chosen children. She would save them all.

She was about to leave when she saw Taichi who had put on the same goggles he had from his profile standing at the door. He witnessed how Eosmon took Izumi's consciousness. Not just that, he was already aware of what she had been doing from the video Daigo-senpai had left him. Even though he was dead, he had to mess with her.

"Why're you doing this, Menoa-san?" Taichi yelled on top of his lungs.

"Taichi-kun should understand me the most. The feeling of loss. Oh yeah you don't remember. Your memory is conveniently deleted when you died over there. I tried to retrieve your lost memory without avail. I don't want others to suffer like Nishijima-senpai and Himekawa-senpai, like you and me." She watched Taichi looked down in sadness upon hearing her words.

_"The boy is an obstacle to your plan."_ Menoa suddenly heard a voice in her head.

Taichi's gaze fell on the thumbdrive she was holding. They contained the name list of all Chosen Children from all over the world. She knew he was eyeing her thumbdrive.

_"He used to be a leader of a group of Chosen Children like Nishijima Daigo. Your leader is trying to stop you by using him."_ The voice continued. Menoa's eyes widened at his words.

She should not be underestimating the former leader of the Chosen Children even if that was his past life. She knew she needed to end him here if she wanted to move ahead with her plan.

" _Spare the boy from his pain of fighting his destiny. No matter how the event flowed in time, he can't escape for he was dealt the curse when the crest was activated to grant all of our wishes."_ Menoa was tempted.

" _The possibilities of your plan failing will disappear. Finish him off ."_ Menoa's eyes turned blank as she was possessed.

She pulled out the pistol she had stolen from Imura earlier and walked up quickly to Taichi as though she was possessed while he was distracted by his own thought. She pulled Taichi into her left arm and aim the muzzle right on his chest so the shot would be muffled. Taichi was unable to react when she pulled the trigger shooting him in his heart at point blank.

She felt his body jerked and she could hear him gasping in pain leaning his head on her shoulder. He was in disbelief when he staggered a step back from her and staring at his bloodied hand after feeling for the gunshot wound she had dealt on him. There was a gaping hole in his chest.

"Me…noa-san?"

Blood was oozing from the bullet wound dying his blue hooded shirt red quickly as he stumped forward on the cold ground. A pool of blood was formed very quickly around him. Menoa's hands trembled with the pistol on hand when she came back to her senses. What had she done? She had shot Taichi, the boy, Nishijima entrusted under her care.

"Someone help?" Menoa squatted down to try to check on Taichi's wound. She wanted to call for an ambulance when he grabbed her by her ankle with his remaining strength. He still tried to reach out for her.

Menoa took a sharp breath recalling Taichi in the experimental capsule reaching out for her with eyes of resentment when his body and memories were analysed and written into data.

Menoa was reminded of her motive and how far she had gotten here. Not even Taichi could stop her.

"Please…" Taichi attempted to reach for her again despite being in so much pain.

"Please understand I'm trying to save you and everyone." With that Menoa kicked Taichi's free hand which was holding on to the ankle off her. Menoa took off quickly not wanting to be distracted by him again. In order to fulfill her objective, she needed to be firm.

"Taichi-kun, sorry, you'll understand eventually."

He would survive this if he was indeed the Child of Miracle. Menoa prayed in tears when she took off from Izumi Koushirou's office.

* * *

"Someone is here to see you." The prison guard announced escorting Menoa to the visitor's room. She was supposed to be extradited back to NYC but she was intercepted halfway. The Incorporated Administrative Agency had pulled string to keep her in Japan.

"Izumi Koushirou, I had been expecting you." Menoa smirked confidently. Something must had happened.

"What did you change here?" Koushirou asked quietly sitting across her. He was trying his best to keep his composure. Menoa played with her hair replied nonchalantly after settling down in her chair.

"Certainly not like Motomiya-kun and his friend did, to open up alternate possibilities in other dimensions. I merely make do with what I have even with the boy who was turned into data and back."

Koushirou stood up suddenly with the intention of breaking the glass window but was stopped by the surrounding guards that stood up behind him.

"You killed my friend. I'll not have you hurt my other friends!" He stated glaring at her angrily. Menoa still sat there continue playing with her hair.

It was said that Inoue Miyako and Ichijouji Ken's experience as Chosen Children practically dissipated in the air suddenly. The situation was so like the time when she unleashed Eosmon. The girl with orange hair scoffed. It felt like a joke when he confronted her this way.

"When you mess with time, be prepared for time to mess you back. You would have already known this logically. They were never involved in Digimon incidents if you had remembered, naturally, they were never chosen."

Menoa reflected how their destinies had changed to the extent that even the likes of Ichijouji Ken or Inoue Miyako could become a Chosen Children without a related Digimon encounter. She was heading the opposite direction to right the things fate had dictated.

Eosmon was a decoy to remove Agumon and Gabumon so that a certain white knight Digimon would never be born. That would ultimately seal the fates of some Chosen Children. The actual plan was about to begin. She was curious witness what the so-called 'Strongest Team' in this dimension led by Motomiya Daisuke could do without their key members.

"You win some and you lose some. One of your friends, I recalled was the daughter of a Professor I know from Tottori should reunite with her Partner Digimon by now. Izumi Koushirou, I wish you luck." She finished, stood up and left the room.

* * *

" _Nishijima-senpai, what do you plan to do?"_

" _Accomplish what I failed to do as the leader of the Chosen Children." Nishijima Daigo held his orange framed goggles he had hidden away for years tightly in his grasp._

_"Someone said this to me, 'We may not be able to change our fate, but we will be able to change our destiny!' I decided to give it a shot, Meno-chan." Nishijima Daigo declared, his eyes filled with hope._

_"He? Who is he?"_

_"Someone who will bring us miracles."_

* * *

Menoa was humming a lullaby she used to hum to her Partner Digimon during her detention in a small cell at the corner.

"Nishijima-senpai, you see how wrong you're to bet your hope on him. I killed Taichi-kun and he died as fate dictated." She should have known better how much chance they had to be in the same dimension as the one with Crest of Miracles. She stared at her hands which seemed clean but yet covered with blood. She mocked to herself hysterically.

Taichi had a heart condition, hence shooting him would hasten his death even if the bullet did not kill him instantly. It was said Eosmon took Taichi's consciousness to Neverland but she felt that it was his soul that was turned into data and went to Neverland from his own will.

The mysterious voice was heard in her head once more.

_"The plan is still ongoing."_ He said to her. Menoa gasped in response as something from the dark materialised before her. She had always thought it was Milleniumon who had appeared to her that was manipulating all these.

"You're? This cannot be..." Menoa pushed her back against the wall in fearfully. The Digimon she had created other than Eosmon had awakened.

"We'll always be together." The Digimon smirked as Menoa's painful scream was heard in the air.

Far across in another continent, the deepest part of the server in Menoa's base was broken into. The Digimon hidden had awaken and escaped. He would make things right in this dimension.


	10. Side: Iori

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iori was an ad-hoc member of the Incorporated Administrative Agency along with Daisuke, Miyako and Ken. Miyako and Ken had mysteriously lost their memories of their lives as Chosen Children. They were in the midst of investigating Kamiya Taichi when that happened. Digimon were captured by obnoxious mean by the Agency. Iori was in a fix. He hoped to help the Digimon and defend their world at the same time and he met someone he had not expected to meet.

Iori was in a daze holding on to a okonomiyaki menu before him. Daisuke and himself along with V-mon and Armadillomon was finally having their feast as Yamato decided to call them out.

"Iori-kun?" Armadillomon had been worried about him. He had a lot on his mind since his discovery of Miyako's 'amnesia'.

Sitting beside them, Daisuke did not have the mood either. Whenever Daisuke had something he wanted to eat in mind, he always had Ken with him. But now… Daisuke looked at the empty seat beside him sadly. Suddenly a menu hit his head much to his dismay.

"Ouch!" Daisuke cried in pain as he raised his head slowly to see an annoyed Yamato-san.

"Have you decided what to eat?" Yamato refilled water on their table into their glasses. He had more or less heard from Takeru what was going on even though he could no longer participate in Digimon-related activities. Yamato had been concerned about their well-beings. The four of them had been through so much while they were still out there leading their lives. He felt guilty for not pursuing further being convinced by Himekawa that they were being looked after with. They were all too naïve back then.

"I want noodles!' V-mon raised his hands high up.

"I want more meat, dagyaa! Iori-kun how about you?" Armadillomon showed Iori the menu.

The boys looked at each other and sighed in response. Yamato clapped his hands for their attention.

"Eat up as much as you want today so you can fight your battles. Mind you. I'm keeping Ken and Miyako's share for the next time." Yamato attempted to smile cheekily just to cheer them up. It was so out of character but he needed to cheer them up.

The four of them were able to travel aboard as and when they liked, 'illegally' granted the ability to travel through the Digital Gate. The immigration would really be pissed. Yamato had been keeping in touch with them making sure they were okay all these while, while they helped him to keep a lookout especially for a certain Japanese young man with a huge brown hair.

"We'll take up your offer, thank you, Yamato-san." Iori took a sip of water and check out the menu with Armadillomon. Armadillomon was salivating already.

"Wait, give me back, Daisuke!" V-mon attempted to take the menu from Daisuke who had the hand on it on one hand and pushing V-mon away with another. They had their usual fights.

Iori noted Yamato's lip was pursed up upwards looking at their actions. It had not been easy for Yamato-san either since he lost Gabumon. All the more Iori wanted to find a solution not to end up like him. He turned to Armadillomon and they smiled.

"I'm so full…" Daisuke complained rubbing his stomach.

"I can still eat…" V-mon said while he feltl like puking.

"Iori, how are you?" Armadillomon asked in concern as Iori managed to finish three large sets. He is a growing boy after all. Iori sipped his water and clapped his hands.

"Thank you for the meal." Iori said to Yamato who nodded. For Yamato who live to eat, did not eat much. He must be worried about them.

"As long as you guys are able to keep going, I'm always ready to support you." Yamato said. "Do not to act rashly and contact Koushirou." Yamato started to nag.

"We know, Yamato-san, don't worry about us." Daisuke spoke up on behalf. There would be a limit on how much Yamato could do now to cover for them. He did not want him to do more than necessary and got him involved.

With that, Yamato left for his class leaving Daisuke, Iori and their Partner Digimon.

"I'm going to talk to Ken again." Daisuke said to Iori. "I'll count on you to check up on Taichi-san's place."

"Doing it again?" Iori was piqued. They had ransacked the place a few times and nothing was out of ordinary and on top of that they had to remind themselves he was an adult. They still could not believe he was into that though.

"I believe Taichi-san had left us clues. It's up to us to find it."

* * *

Iori ran out to the road when he witnessed Koushirou being taken away by the Police for investigation after receiving call from Takeru. He was the last person who spoke with Menoa Belucci and subsequently something happened to her. Tentomon was left unconscious being captured with their anti-Digimon net deployed by the Incorporated Administrative Agency.

Takeru and Hikari came by and met up with Iori. Koushirou was surprisingly calm when he was escorted to the Police car.

"What happened? Koushirou-san will never do such a thing!" Takeru attempted to tell the Police. Koushirou shook his head at Takeru signaling him to stop.

"I'm merely cooperating with the investigation. Please watch over everyone while I'm away, Takeru-san, I'm counting on you." Koushirou said to him before he was led into the car.

Iori was tongue-tied. Getting himself together, he rushed back to Koushirou's office to look for something while Takeru and Hikari watched helplessly as the car drove away. At least before the Incorporated Administrative Agency sent anyone here.

"Found it, dagyaa!" Aramadillomon held up a smart phone with a crossed shaped design phone case in orange which had a symbol of the sun in the centre.

"Good job, Armadillomon!" Iori picked up the phone from him. They could not allow this phone to end up with wrong hands.

"Koushirou-san should have deciphered the content in there after breaking in the password. It'll be useful for our investigation." Iori smiled in relief.

"Mochizuki-san and her team should be coming, let's go." He left the office swiftly as soon as he finished packing up and they left from the back door.

Mochizuki Meiko smiled at his back as she watched him hurriedly away as her team was hunting high and low for evidences. She would cover up for Iori.

* * *

"This cannot be!" Takeru just could not accept it. He was aware how much resentment Koushirou had for Menoa who used him to get the name list of Chosen Children. She removed Agumon and Gabumon by forcing them to battle breaking their bonds sooner than expected. They had been through dangers, their partners were hurt and some had lost their lives before. Although they were reborn, the scar in the Chosen Children's minds would remain. For Gabumon and Agumon who were gone forever, it was just something he could never accept. Menoa to him was a murderer. She got her just dessert. But why was it that Koushirou had to bear the brunt of the consequence?

"Takeru, don't cry." Patamon felt a surge of sadness tearing up standing on Takeru's hat.

"Can't we do anything about it?" Tailmon asked Hikari who was still in a shock. Tailmon had some concerns. This was getting complicated. Hikari was horrified at the net used to capture Tentomon. The net totally froze him rendered him powerless. The Incorporated Administrative Agency were getting serious in restraining Digimon if need be.

Iori was sitting across them quietly clutching his knees to his chest. Armadillomon watched him sadly. The three of them gathered at compact apartment Iori, Daisuke, Ken and Miyako had been using as their base, another Chosen Child, Kamiya Taichi used to stay.

"This is so frustrating." Iori muttered under his breath. Miyako-san had forgotten her life as a Chosen Child and only seeing him as her neighbour. Hawkmon was nowhere to be found. Daisuke had not gotten back to him about Ichijouji. Things were not working out for them. Iori looked around at the apartment and suddenly something came to his mind.

"The technology used feels like the Dark Tower and possibly even evil ring." Iori spoke up, pinching his chin as he thought about it. Takeru raised his head up having heard Iori and his analysis.

"Evil ring?" Hikari confirmed her understanding, blinking in response. Tailmon widened her eyes stealing a glance at the holy ring on her tail.

"Yes, the net that restrained Tentomon is using the technology Ichijouji used to build as Digimon Kaiser." Iori picked up Armadillomon and pulled him into his arms. The more he thought about what the Incorporated Administrative Agency could do to their Digimon shaken him.

He could still feel shivers up his spines when he was reminded of their defeat by Alphamon. Iori was drifting in and out of consciousness when he felt how they were shoved into capsules and put to sleep. The feeling looking at the people who was staring him as though he was some exhibits was terrifying. Iori closed his eyes trying his best to shake his fear away.

"Iori…" Armadillomon looked up at him worriedly.

In Iori's mind, he could barely remember someone was banging and staring at the capsule Daisuke was held captive in horror. He was a high school student with huge wild hair. Iori found him familiar yet was unable to pinpoint who he was back then.

"Daisuke?" Iori's mind came back to the present when he heard Hikari's voice calling someone's name. Daisuke finally came back.

"How is it, dagyaa?" Armadillomon welcomed Daisuke and V-mon back. Daisuke shook his head brushing his hair in frustration as he sat down heavily beside Hikari on the bed.

"Ken doesn't know him. Daisuke had been going to the college Ichijouji is attending, pestering him, trying to get him to remember him only to be carried out by the security guards." V-mon updated the team. Ever since they attempted jogress evolution, Daisuke and Ken had always been hanging out together. If one of them was gone, they would not be able to take it.

"Wormmon is missing. I feel empty without Wormmon." V-mon continued looking depressed.

"How can this be?" Takeru exclaimed in disbelief. "What was going on now?"

"After we have promised that we'll always be together, why?" V-mon just could not understand. He was afraid he would be forced to part with Daisuke.

The group decided to head home in the evening since there was nothing much they could do. Takeru would walk Hikari home. Daisuke decided to see Ken again tomorrow. He just would not give up. He was about to leave after Takeru and Hikari left when Iori pulled the bottom of his shirt. Iori wanted to speak to Daisuke privately dragging him back to the apartment.

"What is it, Iori?" Daisuke asked impatiently.

"Here, I managed to recover Taichi-san's phone." Iori pulled out the phone he had retrieved from Koushirou's office from his bag.

"Iori, you got the phone back?" Daisuke's face brightened up. Iori nodded.

"I thought you'd like this idea." Iori said folding his arms with a poker face.

"As long as this didn't fall into their hands, we might have a chance. Let's pry for some clues. I bet it has to be a Digimon that is behind all these." Daisuke decided. They needed to find the culprit before the Agency did. Luckily, they were the ad-hoc members in the Agency due to their unique statuses which helped in their investigation.

* * *

The next time Iori met Koushirou was in the interview room. As a member of Incorporated Administrative Agency, he was to recruit Koushirou to the defense force. His intellectual and technical skills would prove to be valuable having saved the world a number of times. He also had a hand in defeating Menoa and Eosmon by sending Yamato, Eosmon's coordinates in the nick of time when she confronted him to take his consciousness.

"I can't believe you're next in line to try and persuade me, Agent Hida." Koushirou lean back to the chair and folded his arms. He had rejected Agent Kaho outright. They were exploiting the rights of their freedom and the freedom of their Partner Digimon. Koushirou could not believe Daisuke and his team were all members of the Agency.

"We were duped by Himekawa-san. Have you forgotten that?" Koushirou exclaimed slamming the table glaring at Iori into his eyes.

"We are the Chosen Children with the responsibilities to defend our world. Don't you understand? If you are truly concerned about Tentomon, you should come to your senses. The human had formed bad impression about our partners, we should do something to prove them wrong!" Iori rebuked. He was no longer the kid Koushirou used to know. Koushirou realized it might be futile talking to them.

"Calm down, Iori-kun." Armadillomon was worried he would fall out with his senior. Even though their methods could be different, they have the same goal in mind.

"I've a favour for you." Koushirou said quietly. Iori raised his eyebrow signaling him to continue.

"Please help Tentomon." He did not know what they would do to Tentomon after witnessing how his defense was broken through and how Tentomon was tortured to getting captured when he defended him. He faintly hoped that the agency would have some consciences. They were not just digital data, they were lives. As fellow Chosen Children, Iori would understand since he cared for Armadillomon's well-being.

* * *

Iori was walking in the shopping street with Armadillomon on his arms. He observed the people going on with their usual lives. They were living their own lives although differently. He wanted to defend their world. It seems to just get harder. More Digimon were appearing in their world causing destruction and destruction was what Digimon were well-known of doing.

"If this continues, what do you think will happen, Armadillomon? The Agency is coming up with technology to deal with Digimon like you. I wish I can do more to prevent tragedy from happening again." Iori shared with his partner.

"I feel you, dagyaa. Iori-kun had been working hard for us." Armadillomon raised his hand up. He had been watching Iori running around whether in school, kendo, food trip with Daisuke or dealing with Digimon incidents. He could not stand justice being abused the most.

V-mon, Hawkmon and himself were ancient Digimon having been through wars and destruction in past era. He believed they could get through this together. Someone in the crowd caught Armadillomon's attention suddenly.

"Iori-kun. He?" Armadillomon pointed before him with his trembling claw There was a man that appeared before them in the midst of the crowd. Iori's eyes widened at the man who gave him a warm smile before him.

"But you…" Iori found tears welling up his eyes. He never specially looked for him although he should have known that he was back in Real World.

"You're Hiroki's son." The man who used to have long hair and pale face had trimmed his hair short and was in his purple long coat. He was able to recognize Iori from afar.

"Oikawa-san." Iori greeted him in tears.

* * *

Oikawa Yukio. The few of them knew he was back in Japan since the reboot had occurred. Iori had been trying to locate him over the years with no avail.

While they had eyes on Kamiya Taichi who is on the special programme in the States, they had no idea where Oikawa was.

Iori had a long talk with him especially about his late father in a cafe. As expected, he did not remember what he had done eight years ago, being used and possessed by BelialVandemon. He was leading the most normal life.

Oikawa had his new life after waking up five years ago in the hospital. Somehow he was glad he was able to let go of his resentment towards Hiroki after that experience. He was a vet taking care of sick and injured pets. He even got married and have kids.

"Look, this is my wife and my daughter." He showed Iori his family photo and he was so proud and happy.

"If only Hiroki is still alive to see you, he'll be so proud of you. You've grown so big. You're in high school, right? My daughter has a long way to go, if not I'll get Hiroki to matchmake you and her." Oikawa shared excitedly.

"I'm really happy for you Oikawa-san." Iori exclaimed with a smile sincerely. His wife had arrived to meet up with him after her shopping with his young daughter who was about three years old.

"Yukio, who is he?"

"I'm Hida Iori, son of your husband's friend." Iori extended his hand for a handshake. The little girl had taken a liking to Armadillomon and she was able to play with him.

"Send my regards to your grandfather." Oikawa waved to him having his arms over his wife's shoulder as Iori waved him goodbye with Armadillomon.

"Armadillo should come over to my house soon." The little girl patted Armadillomon on his head. They watched the couple and their little girl walked away. The existence of Digimon may not be a bad thing. Oikawa's daughter was not afraid of Digimon at all. She turned to Iori and Armadillomon and blinked her eyes at them. Iori was stunned. In his mind, an image of certain little green Digimon overlapped with her.

"She is…" Iori shook his idea off. That could not be.

Maybe he should visit Oikawa again with Daisuke and V-mon. They need to investigate this further.

* * *

Iori came to Kamiya Taichi's apartment. He had something to find out even if he had to raid the place again and again.

"Miyako and Ken-san had lost the trigger which led them to become Chosen Children. If they did not become Chosen Children, we might not have met and become friends. The existence of Digimon Kaiser could disappear and they might not even be chosen to save the Digital World. Taichi-san is definitely an important key to their experience based on what we know from other timeline." Iori explained to Armadillomon.

"Iori…" Armadillomon was worried about him. If possible, they should not meddle with time again.

"You're late." Daisuke and V-mon had been waiting in the apartment feeling all restless. They only had one another to rely on for now.

"No matter how scary this is going to be. We need to face this right on." Iori informed Daisuke who took a sharp breath.

"We've been through thick and thin, life and death, there's nothing to be afraid of." Daisuke said. "For Ken and Miyako, let's do it."

"Let's start off watching the adult DVDs." Armaillomon dug under the blanket they had hidden the DVDs from Takeru and Hikari.

"What? You're aware that we're underage, right?" Daisuke exclaimed covering V-mon's and Iori's eyes.

"We're definitely adults!" V-mon said turning to Armadillomon after pulling Daisuke's hand off his eyes. They had been around way longer than they did except that they spent a lot of time hibernating while waiting for their human partners.

Iori shoved Daisuke's hand away as well and stared Daisuke in his eyes closely. Daisuke totally got it. They were probably just facades.

"On a side note, what if there's really something not suitable for our eyes." Iori asked with a poker face jokingly.

"My impression for Taichi-san would be destroyed." Daisuke did not know whether to laugh or cry. Not even Iori could not imagine. The few of them indeed found something.

A male with olive-green hair of aged 25 appeared to them on the TV screen.

Responsibilities would lie on their shoulders to make things right.

* * *

"Holy crap!"

And so Iori, Daisuke and their Digimon discovered the secret server Menoa had hidden in the States. The place was almost destroyed by another Digimon she had created using data from her experiment on human. It was disturbing.

A certain Digimon had been let loose. He who was the one who could sever the sign of friendship.


	11. Side: Mimi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mimi didn't believe in the obligation of being a Chosen Child and she was going to be herself and do things freely. With the active Chosen Children who did the work and granted her her freedom to do her own things being out of commission. Reality hits her that there are certain things only she could do as a Chosen Child.

"What do you mean by visitor is not allowed?" Tachikawa Mimi demanded. Mimi and Palmon had arrived at the headquarters of the Incorporated Administrative Agency which had taken Koushirou custody to see him but they were denied entry.

"Koushirou is not a criminal. He's definitely innocent! I want to see your Boss!" She slammed on the counter startling the poor guard, but there was nothing he could do. He merely followed orders. Mimi noticed a black-haired girl in glasses, Mochizuki Meiko in office wear walking towards their direction.

"Meimei, long time no see." Mimi tip-toed at the counter waving at her excitedly. "Tell him, I want to see Koushirou!" Meiko gave a small smile and shook her head.

"Let me handle this. " Meiko turned to the middle-aged security guard.

"Yes, ma'am!" The guard nodded. Agent Mochizuki had a professor as a father, and he was a prominent figure well-known within the agency. Of course, the staff had some respect to her despite her not even a high-level agent.

"Let's go somewhere and talk, Mimi-san." Meiko said guiding her out of the reception area being wary of the eyes from the above. Someone was watching them obviously. Meiko glared at the camera nearby sternly as she led Mimi out.

* * *

"What did Koushirou do to warrant lock-up?" Mimi inquired. Palmon glanced at Mimi worriedly.

"I'm afraid it's confidential and I don't know the details. All I know is the Agency noted Izumi-san's talent and wanted to recruit him but he's unwilling…" Meiko shared with Mimi in a shelter in a nearby park.

"NO WAY! Koushirou is too smart to work for the Agency! He is better off as a CEO." Mimi exclaimed grabbing Meiko's shoulder upon hearing Meiko's words. After learning what the Agency did to Tentomon and how they handled things in the past with Daisuke and the rest, she literally had no doubt they were not trustworthy. In fact, Mimi had voiced out her displeasure to Meiko when she joined them.

"Izumi-san proved himself to be better than Professor Belucci by defeating her." Meiko said quietly. The Agency had their eyes on the 'Strongest Team' all these years and Koushirou happened to be the brain. Meiko having been with them for a short time during her High School days was aware what Koushirou could do. He would be a double-edged knife. Either he was on the Agency's side or he would become their enemy.

"If this continues, things do not bode well for Izumi-san." Meiko warned. Mimi's eyes widened. Her gaze focused fully on Meiko releasing her grasp on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry." Meiko apologized looking down. There was nothing she could do to help. Not even she was allowed to see him like Iori could. Meiko covered her mouth realising she had spoken of Iori out loud unintentionally.

"Iori-kun can see him?" Mimi asked seemingly felt hopeful. Palmon clapped her hands in excitement.

"He failed in getting him to join us. Izumi-san hoped that he could at least get Tentomon out of predicament." Meiko decided to tell Mimi what she knew.

Mimi knew Koushirou was certainly stubborn as though he could care less about the rest of them shying away from people. But the truth was he cared for them too much. Koushirou made gadgets for the Chosen Children so that they would not be as helpless as they did before. Without his help, Mimi would not have embarked on her own business online that quickly. There was nothing Koushirou could not do.

For some reason, all he wanted was to grow up quickly. That was what Mimi realized after the incident with Ordinemon five years ago.

"We're helpless when we were younger, and we were naïve. Hence, we were being lied to and made used of like pawns by the Agency. Because of these, all the more, he wouldn't join the Agency." Mimi said closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She believed in him. If it was Koushirou, he would find a way out of this indeed. Then she felt better.

As Mimi and Palmon was about to leave, Meiko's phone rang.

"This is Mochizuki." Mimi noticed she sounded professional in contrast to how she interacted with them. Meiko nodded and hung up.

"There's a Digimon incident in Roppongi." Meiko informed Mimi. "They asked if you can deal with it. If you can successfully resolve this, they will grant you audience with Izumi-san."

Mimi clenched her fist. She was annoyed. She hated fighting. She did it once with Meimei and it did not turn out well. Their partners ended up being criticized. Come to think of it, did she leave the country often just to avoid fighting? Surely her friends nearby could do something to save the day. She even encouraged Sora about this when she felt guilty for not participating in Digimon-related incidents.

" _I think it was destiny that we became Chosen Children but I don't think it's fate. I'm going to be myself and do things freely."_ Tears of frustration welled up her eyes. It was not supposed to be an obligation. She realized how much she relied on Koushirou and the rest so that she could be free from such obligation. They were not obliged to do it but they were the only ones who could do it.

"What will Mimi-san do?" Meiko asked in serious tone. Meiko, Yamato and Sora were out of question, Koushirou was out of commission, Daisuke and the rest were not in town. Mimi clenched her fist tighter and made her decision.

"I'll do it. Location?" Mimi asked Meiko who dropped her a message.

"Palmon, let's go!" Mimi took off running.

"Alright, Mimi." Palmon hopped after her.

A car stopped before her by the road. The window winded down revealing Meiko and Meicoomon on the passenger seat in front.

"Meimei?" Mimi exclaimed in surprise.

"Hop on. I'll drive you there." Mimi hopped on along with Palmon. Meiko grabbed on the driving wheel and drove off. Mimi was surprised that Meiko who did not look like it had her driving license.

"Long time no see." A feline Digimon who sat at the back called out to them.

"Ahh… Meicoomon?!" Palmon covered her mouth really surprised to see her. Meicoomon was supposed to be destroyed.

"I found her at my apartment one morning. To be honest, I'm really glad." Mimi noticed tears at the corner of Meiko's eyes when she shared with her on her feeling on the way to the location.

"I don't like fighting either but we'll help you out just like five years ago." Meiko turned to Mimi with a smile. Mimi broke into a huge smile and pulled Meiko into a hug.

"Meimei is awesome!" Meiko's body stiffened by Mimi's sudden hug and she struggled to hold the driving wheel to prevent her car going out of control.

"Ahh… " Meiko screamed suddenly when she jammed her brake on time before a red light.

* * *

"Takeru, Hikari!" Mimi should have known better. When comes to Digimon incidents, the two of them were rather active. Angemon and Tailmon had Blossomon cornered in a park.

"Mimi-san!" The two of them looked surprised to see Mimi which pretty much annoyed her.

"Yeah I know." It was always Yamato and Koushirou, never Mimi. Mimi placed her hands on her waist and pouted. Even Daisuke and the rest didn't participate much but they were much more active overseas.

"Palmon evolves… to Togemon!" Togemon went off to punch Blossomon who released tiny flowers like Shuriken. Togemon dodged on time only to see the attack hit the nearby tree which collapsed in the opposite direction.

"Mei?" Meicoomon landed on Meiko's arms. Meiko just had a scare for her life when they rushed to the scene. She managed to regain her control of the car when Mimi finally noticed what she was doing. Meiko heaved a sigh of relief.

"Are we going, Mei?" Holding Meicoomon on her arms was very much her dream for the last five years. Meiko could not help but to hug her tight. She too hesitated if she wanted to send Meicoomon out to deal with the incident.

"Meiko-san? Is that…?" Hikari asked pointing at Meicoomon on Meiko's arms. Meiko nodded. Hikari just could not believe it. Meicoomon jumped into the battle. It did not take very long for the four of them to subdue Blossomon. Without Koushirou's facilitation, they had to revert to the old ways of opening the Digital Gate. Unlike Daisuke and the rest who had been utilising the gate to travel around the world frequently, it had been a long while since Takeru last attempted this.

"Digital Gate Open!" Takeru opened the gate from the laptop using his D-3 and together they sent Blossomon back to the Digital World.

* * *

"The obnoxious data within Mei-chan is gone." Meiko shared with Mimi, Takeru and Hikari what she knew. The Digimon were catching up with one another in the park while the human partners sat in a shelter. Meicoomon was especially enjoying herself playing with the rest. Meiko was reassuring them Meicoomon would be alright now.

"I'm so glad!" Mimi said grabbing Meiko's hands excitedly. Back then it was chaotic trying to hold Ordinemon down when Meicoomon lost control. If it was not for the time travelers who assisted them, they might have ended up with a reboot to the Real World. Mimi could not imagine what would happen if that happened. Meiko shook her head.

"In my memories in the various dimensions, Real World reboot never happened. It was all thanks to Izumi-san, Ishida-san, all of you who never give up and _he_ who saved us as well…" Mimi noticed Meiko biting her lips. She said something she should not.

"If it's about the other dimension, don't mind us." Takeru caught her words and he was understanding about it.

"Daisuke-kun and the rest never shared with about their adventure travelling in time and dimension. We tried probing but failed badly." Hikari added smiling awkwardly. Daisuke often stared at them with the eyes of guilt. Mimi realized. She wanted to get Meimei to share more but was interrupted by Tailmon who overheard their conversation.

"How do you get the memories?" Tailmon asked walking towards them. "I have some weird memories which I can't comprehend either. Can you help me interpret them?" Tailmon asked Meiko. Mimi was listening to Tailmon attentively.

"Eosmon. She showed me things I don't remember seeing. Gabumon felt the same way." Instinctively, Eosmon attacked only Hikari and Yamato in their initial encounter in the street. Tailmon did not dwell too much until she overheard Meiko's words.

"Hikari looked proud turning over to me as I was able to restrain an unknown Digimon with Takeru and Angemon. I saw Yamato next to me and a white knight Digimon I couldn't make out of appeared. No, it's not me." Tailmon muttered. She tried to think harder pinching her chin. Hikari was calling for someone.

"Eosmon lost control attacking us and we were disconnected." Tailmon finished and shook her head.

"Hikari, are you able to think of anything?" Mimi tried to probe frowning. Tailmon must be dreaming.

"Jogress evolution... no they fused..." Tailmon said suddenly. Since when Yamato's Gabumon could go through jogress evolution or fusion? Tailmon could not recall.

"Jogress?" Takeru became alert at the word sitting up straight on the stone chair with Patamon trying to reach for his hat on his head.

Meiko looked very serious after hearing her words which somehow scared Mimi. She never seen her with a scary expression on her face.

"I'm sure that is not your memory. It'll be better off if you forget about it. I'm sorry I have to go." It seemed that Meiko did not want to talk about it.

"Mei-chan!" Meicoomon hopped on to her arms. They waved goodbye to Meicoomon who sat obediently on Meiko's arms as she walked off quickly.

"Meimei is definitely keeping something from us." Mimi said folding her arms turning to Hikari and Tailmon. Mimi noticed that she froze at Tailmon's words.

"Nevertheless, leave it to me! I'll check with Koushirou when I see him." Mimi was suddenly motivated. Hikari smiled. She appreciated Mimi for her energy. That was the first time Hikari heard Tailmon shared about some weird memories about Yamato and Hikari from another person's point of view.

"Mimi-san, you can see him?" Takeru asked excitedly. Visitors was not allowed and Takeru was very worried about him.

"Let's just say I done a transaction with the Meimei's employer." Mimi said with a sad smile picking up Palmon on her arms.. It was an agency they were aware they should not mess with. The more they see, the more they realized how much they did not know.

* * *

Mimi was checking out the Digimon Community Koushirou had built and a post caught her attention. It was definitely by Daisuke judging by the nickname. He had posted something in the Community helping a sick Chosen Child to raise funds by writing "posts".

"There are dreams I know I can fulfill if I work towards it and believe in it but there are some dreams beyond my control. He is someone I know yet I don't know him well in this world but I know I need to help him. His existence had given me hope to fulfill a far-fetched dream of mine. I might be able to get her to smile wholeheartedly one day…" Mimi was moved by his words. Daisuke was able to motivate people if need be and they were being discreet about this.

"100 yens per Chosen Child to raise 3,000,000 yens? Daisuke is really full of antics." Mimi laughed out loud catching Palmon's attention.

"Shall we show this to Yamato-san?" Mimi turned to Palmon trying to control her laughter. After all, he succeeded Yamato's Crest of Friendship. She was curious how Yamato would deal with him, locking Daisuke with his arm and drilling his head with his fist for writing such bashful paragraphs.

"What?" Palmon wanted to read Daisuke's 'touching' post too.

"Imagine he gave a speech like this live on stage? I'm sure all of us will be motivated." Mimi was reminded eight years ago how Daisuke ignite the fire within the Children with dark seeds on the power to make dreams come true. All of them, even Oikawa Yukio became one of them that day.

"If it wasn't that he inherited Digimental of Friendship, all of us would have thought that he would succeed Taichi-san." Mimi commented reminiscing on the past. She realized she had not spoken of that name for years.

"Taichi-san…" Mimi found tears to her eyes thinking about the eleven-year-old goggle boy with huge brown hair. It had been more than a decade since then. All of them managed to survive, growing up to adults walking down their own paths except him. Mimi did not even get to see him at his last moment.

"He'll grow up to be very handsome like Yamato-san if he's still around." Mimi could not help but to imagine how Taichi would look like as an adult.

* * *

On the day, Meiko had arranged for Mimi to meet Koushirou, Mimi found Takeru, Hikari and their partners were discussing about Miyako and Ken and how they could help Daisuke and Iori out in the playground near Hikari's place on the way.

Takeru and Hikari seemed to have drifted away from Daisuke and the rest for some reason. Mimi understood how awkward they felt. They were at fault for not keeping in touch. Friends should look out for one another and they failed in this aspect dealing with Daisuke.

"Daisuke is an easygoing person. Just speak your mind." Mimi interrupted them folding her arms. They would need to speak their mind if they wanted their voices heard.

"That's right." Palmon agreed with Mimi.

Takeru and Hikari looked a little startled.

"We thought we were over this. But, this did not feel right." Takeru shared their problem with Daisuke and the rest. "They kept things from us. I don't even know what are they up to lately? Aniki is worried about them."

"Yamato-san used to be the one Daisuke-kun is willing to talk to since five years ago." Hikari highlighted. "They were close to him. But now…" Hikari shook her head. Why would Daisuke bother Yamato with issues Yamato could no longer help.

"Hence, we decided to look for the Chosen Child who lent the place to them to find out more." Tailmon raised her paw up. Daisuke and the rest were hanging out in an apartment instead of the places such as Koushirou's office. Hikari noted that a person known as Kamiya stayed there. She felt that someone she was familiar with stayed there but she did not know anyone of that name.

"This Kamiya-san must be a Chosen Child like them and he lent the place to them. I can't find this name at all in Koushirou's database. Maybe he's new. It seems that Daisuke trusted him. "

"If this goes on, Yamato's place in Daisuke's heart will be replaced." Patamon added sitting on Takeru's head. Mimi sweat-dropped. What were they thinking? Mimi imagined Daisuke as a love child of the two Chosen Children playing tug-of-war using him.

"Mimi?" Palmon tapped on her hand to get her attention. "We're running late."'

"Ahh… I'm running late. " Mimi almost jumped realizing how late she was looking at the time on her phone. She was going to meet Koushirou. Takeru and Hikari looked at each other worriedly.

"Send our regards to Koushirou-san." Takeru waved at Mimi who took off running with Palmon on her arms.

* * *

Mimi brought a few bottles of Oolong Tea for him.

"He must be craving for it." Mimi said to Palmon sticking her tongue out. She was looking forward to see Koushirou.

Meiko waited for Mimi at the entrance with Meicoomon. She had bad news for her.

Meiko was told that Koushirou did not want to see Mimi.

"But why?" Mimi just could not comprehend why. Meiko shook her head. She did not get to see him either. She was merely passing on the message.

"I'm sorry." Meiko offered to pass the Oolong Tea to him even she had to go through other colleagues.

Mimi dragged her feet in the street. Passing by the hospital Jou was having his internship in. She decided to go see Jou-senpai. He would hear her out, right? With that thought in mind, Mimi messaged him.

* * *

She waited for Jou at the canteen in the hospital. It happened to be his breaktime. Jou sighed sitting down with his long-awaited dinner. Mimi observed he was drained from his internship.

"You know. I managed to do an injection on a patient. " Jou was still able to share his experience excitedly despite looking all drained. Mimi was really glad Jou could overcome his dilemma five years ago, continue to work towards his dream. She realized something. He was using the conversation as a distraction. Mimi was trying to be sensitive for not bringing Palmon along and it was unlike her.

"Remember I ask you back then. How long must we be the Chosen Children? Why must it always be us taking care of things? Because we are the Chosen Children." Jou scoffed at his own words.

"Even now, although there are many of them, we're still taking care of things most of the time, while others had it easy having partners for company like having a pet." Jou continued talking. Mimi rested her chin on her palms listening attentively.

"I'm sorry about what happened to Gomamon." Mimi stirred her tea as her sad face was reflected on the drink.

"Ah.. I forgot to share with you." Jou showed Mimi his Digivice with a quarter of the clock ticking down.

"Gomamon is still with me." Jou said scratching his blushing cheek. He did not expect to be reunited with Gomamon so quickly even though his time was still running out with the clock ticking.

"WHAT?!" Mimi stood up exclaiming. She could not contain her excitement. The customers around turned their heads towards their direction. Jou nodded apologetically to them and they continued with what they were doing.

"Mochizuki-san mentioned about believing in possibilities." Jou highlighted to Mimi who was digesting his words. Meimei seemed to know things about other places here but yet not here.

"What kind of possibilities do you believe in?" Mimi asked out of curiosity.

"If you dream of it, it can come true." Joe spoke slowly. "I remembered that that nasty Gennai look-alike and his words about the reboot and I had seen the possibilities it could bring. This time round, it's our turn to help our friend and I'm more than willing to fight." Jou felt that Mimi could understand him. He wanted to tell her something but was unable to say it out loud. Mimi had to try to read under the lines. Mimi shrugged and frowned. Unlike Koushirou, she would not be able to figure out his words quickly.

"In any case, there is still a Chosen Child who had not woken up from Eosmon incident." Jou changed his approach. He whispered to Mimi that he needed help. Unlike them who was just unconscious during the incident, the young man around their age was very sick. He needed to keep his life support active in order to live on.

"I really don't want to give up. I REALLY DON'T WANT TO. Mimi-kun feel the same if it's you, right? Without the financial support, eventually we'll have to pull the plug. I really hope he can wake up." Jou shared his dilemma.

"Does he have family?" Mimi inquired to see how she could help. Jou stared at her seemingly in his own thought. That hit the spot. Jou was not able to answer this. It just so happened that his phone rang that he managed to evade her question.

Jou's phone rang and he answered it immediately.

"Again? Ok, I'll be on my way." Jou stood up and said looking serious.

"Mimi, I'm sorry, I'll meet you again." Jou took off running after hanging up and waving at Mimi.

"Wait!" Mimi found an access card on the chair Jou sat earlier and ran off after him. Jou met someone most likely was his father at the lift lobby and took the lift with him. Mimi followed suit taking the next lift using the access card Jou had dropped afterwards. Never did she expect to stumble into someone she would never expect to see again.

She found herself cupping her mouth when she saw Jou at work assisting his father. The patient was running a fever and was having a fit. Dr. Kido and his team were trying their best to stabilise him through the glass panel outside an ICU. She could never overlook that hairstyle of the unconscious patient.

" _Come down, Princess! Give me your hand!" A young boy extended his hand to help Mimi to alight from the roof of a swan boat._

" _Don't call me a Princess!" Mimi was annoyed by his words._

" _I'm just kidding!" The boy with huge brown hair said with a gentle smile._

" _He is someone I know yet I don't know him well in this world but I know I need to help him. His existence had given me hope to fulfill a far-fetched dream of mine. I might be able to get her to smile wholeheartedly one day…"_

" _I remembered that that nasty Gennai look-alike and his words about the reboot and I had seen the possibilities it could bring. This time round, it's our turn to help our friend and I'm more than willing to fight."_

"No wonder Jou-senpai didn't want to give up and Daisuke-kun is trying to help to raise funds…" Mimi exclaimed covering her mouth with tears streaming heavily down her eyes.

"Taichi-san, hang in there…" Mimi prayed quietly clenching her fist tightly standing by the window outside the ICU. Taichi's condition finally stabilized and Mimi barely noticed his finger moved a little.

* * *

A familiar Dragon warrior-like Digimon appeared in the air nearby watching Taichi closely through the window in the rain as the lightning strikes. The light from the lightning flashed revealed the Crest of Darkness he was holding.

"Taichi, I finally found a world that can possibly do you justice."


	12. Side: BlackWarGreymon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> BlackWarGreymon was an entity from another dimension. Escaped from his time and dimension in order to find a dimension where his partner who could live in peace to ask for his help. A fit of impulse landed him into no way of return as the person he was looking for was not what he expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's notes: The plot thickens. BlackWarGreymon in my fanfic setting was the Agumon Taichi and Hikari encountered in Hikarigaoka. He became the Partner Digimon of the Chosen Child with the Crest of Darkness in the Alternate Destiny written years ago. He time-traveled to this dimension.

**Side: BlackWarGreymon**

_"You bastard. You ordered Gennai to kill." A holy beast Digimon in shadow confronted the strongest in the team, Qinglongmon._

_"All darkness should be eradicated. We had decided that, didn't we?" Qinglongmon retorted._

_"Shut up, you just want your power unaffected because of the existence of Crest of Darkness. That child should die for that?" He spelled out._

_"You broke the taboo and gave him back his memories. Don't you think you have done too much?" Qinglongmon was getting annoyed with the conversation._

_"Like you who wants to protect the Children of Light and Hope, I've to watch over my kids too yet you ordered to kill him." The other Digimon reasoned._

_"That's why Gennai fled in disgust after he got wind of your intention. He is supposed to be their aide but he failed them and lost the respect of the partner Digimon."_

_"My decision never wavers, for the sake of the peace of the Digital World." Qinglongmon raised his voice speaking firmly._

_He headed out to face the partner Digimon who were seeking an audience with him._

* * *

For the sake of harmony and stability, he must die?

What nonsense is that?

I'll find a world that will do justice for him.

He could live happily with those he loved and loved him.

_"How can you lose to a cat?" The voice of a little boy ranged in his mind. Koromon felt ashamed of himself._

_"Thanks for saving me!" Koromon stuffed his mouth over the face of the bewildered little boy who was scratched by his own cat saving him._

_"A sign… of friendship?" At that point of time the little boy did not understand it._

_Sound of whistle echoed in the air._

_"Fire!" The little boy urged._

"Taichi…"

The dragon warrior Digimon, BlackWarGreymon flew in the tunnel which linked the various timeline and dimensions together after the other partner of his partner, WarGreymon with the Brave Shield of Miracle decided to buy him some time to take the Crest of Darkness and escaped. They had defeated Apocalymon and Milleniumon with a heavy price. Their partner, Yagami Taichi had left the world of living some time ago in their dimension.

* * *

BlackWarGreymon finally entered a dimension where he found Taichi who had just flatlined.

"Taichi!" A sense of urgency came over him that he activated the Crest of Darkness he had on hand. The crest glowed. A miracle happened as pulse returned to Taichi after a few minutes he was declared dead which was a miracle. As his brain was deprived of oxygen, he remained in coma and required life support.

BlackWarGreymon had been watching over Taichi in the dark since then. He was not sure if this world was the one he was looking for. BlackWarGreymon was just reacting in a fit of impulse when Taichi of this dimension passed away. He was disappointed when he found out that this Taichi had been killed by Piemon and was reconfigured from the reboot. He was not the one he was looking for. The damage had been done and BlackWarGreymon had resigned to his fate to watch over this Taichi since the gate to travel through time and dimension was closed.

This Taichi was older than his partner who died at the age of 19. Because of that this dimension seemed different than many of them he been to in search of the dimension the Crest of Miracle had appeared to. Taichi had never been able to live past the age of adult unless he was the one with Miracle. Even before he was shot, he was already suffering from some heart ailment. Yet he was able to live past the age of an adult.

Taichi had been laying still and quietly breathing through the oxygen mask. BlackWarGreymon counted Taichi had been through at least three surgeries to repair his wounded heart since then. Fever and complication were common and BlackWarGreymon was holding his breath whenever Taichi's heart stopped needing doctor to revive him but was relieved when he managed to pull through.

A girl in glasses with black hair had been visiting him very often. BlackWarGreymon had never met her. Maybe she was someone Taichi would encounter if he could live past certain age. She certainly cared for his well-being for there was no one else there for him.

Child of Honesty, Kido Jou came by later with his partner Gomamon and sat by his bed. Life was never fair. BlackWarGreymon had to watch over him in secret while Gomamon could be in the open. Another girl, Child of Purity, Tachikawa Mimi popped by with her plant-like Digimon partner, Palmon.

"Taichi-kun is lazy. He had been sleeping for too long." Jou could not help but to comment trying to lighten up the mood. His physical injuries was healing but they were aware of his deteriorating health condition watching how frail and thin Taichi had become from his coma. His oxygen mask was fogging with his labored breath. Jou did not know if he could even share about Taichi's existence to his friends knowing that they would still lose him.

"Unless we can find a new heart for him, he might not make it even if he wakes up. Might as well, we take the secret into our own graves." Jou turned to Mimi, another girl who just found out of Taichi's reappearance. Jou wanted to believe in possibilities, but in reality it was not easy. Gomamon tugged Jou's hand and Palmon hugged Mimi to comfort them.

"Heart? Soul? I don't want it. But Taichi needs it." BlackWarGreymon was reminded of a certain flower he tried to save but ended up stepping on it. Why did his heartache?

"No way! We should let everyone know. Let's give Taichi-san all the support he needs. All of us owed it to him. Without Taichi-san pushing us in the Digital World, we might not even be here now."

BlackWarGreymon smiled. Taichi's existence had left an imprint on them. He decided to visit the Chosen Children to see how they were doing after hearing what Mimi shared with Taichi. BlackWarGreymon could not show himself but surely, he could verify how the so-called stupid life should be lived.

* * *

BlackWarGreymon had arrived near the apartment where Taichi of this dimension stayed in Japan when he was still up and about.

Child of Hope, Takaishi Takeru and Child of Light, Yagami Hikari, they were seen standing outside his apartment pressing the doorbell and there was no answer.

"Mimi-san had assured us that we can trust him but she didn't share with us much details other than asking me to recall what that evil Gennai-san had said to the few of us five years ago when he attacked us with Mugendramon. This isn't like her." Takeru said to Hikari. Hikari agreed with him.

"Mimi said he is in Koushirou's database but we're not able to find anyone by the name of Kamiya." Patamon added and Tailmon nodded her head.

"Maybe Mimi-san is trying to hint us but is unable to share much further." Hikari realized.

"Let's assume Kamiya is of our age. Mimi addressed him using '-san' instead of '-kun' she would usually use for me? It isn't unlike her to address someone she didn't know well with '-kun' as though she is close to that person." Takeru pinched his chin in deep though trying to interpret her words.

"Reboot." Takeru dropped his phone all the sudden.

_"If Digimon die in the human world, they can't be revived. That's where a reboot comes in. All those guys who died over there come back."_ These words from Dark Gennai who appeared close to his face back then when he said this echoed in his mind.

"Reboot?" Hikari blinked in confusion.

"What if…" Some crazy ideas came to Takeru's mind. Koushirou and his brother probably had the ideas way before he did. Takeru was getting excited.

Takeru was disrupted when an explosion occurred. BlackWarGreymon managed to activate his Brave Shield to shield the two Chosen Children from the worst of the blast as Patamon and Tailmon evolved and took off with their partners on their arms. BlackWarGreymon retrieved his shield and retreated to the sky.

The smoke cleared up as XV-mon and Ankylomon was blasted out in the open covering their human partners protectively as another Digimon shot up to the sky where BlackWarGreymon was in a flash. It was a Digimon which resembled Eosmon but it was a golden butterfly Digimon emitting an aura of knight in shiny armour. His mouth was emitting smoke seemingly in frustration.

"Isn't that?" Angewomon exclaimed recognising BlackWarGreymon beside the new Digimon.

"He saved us." Angemon commented heaving a sigh of relief as they have their partners safe on their arms.

"Who are you?" BlackWarGreymon eyed the Digimon closely in the air. The pair of Angels nodded in acknowledgement as they had their partners placed on the ground floor before joining BlackWarGreymon to deal with the Digimon that just attacked them. Takeru and Hikari headed to where XV-mon and Anklyomon was to help Daisuke and Iori up.

"O-ooouch…" Daisuke attempted to stretch himself while Iori was helped up by Takeru. Their partners reverted to their Child forms as soon as they were safe.

"V-mon, Armadillomon, are you guys alright?" Iori asked in concern.

"Yeah…"

"We will live, dagyaa." The two Digimon were drained.

Daisuke was on high alert taking V-mon on his arms pulling Hikari on his arms when that new Digimon extended his wired arms to whip them. Iori dodged with Takeru and Armadillomon in opposite direction. BlackWarGreymon noticed it and grabbed its arms but ended up grabbing nothing. His arm sizzled and vanished into the air.

"W-What?" BlackWarGreymon was sent crashing to the ground.

That Digimon seemed hungry for something.

"It reminded me of Eosmon." Takeru shared with the few of them while holding on to his hat enduring the strong wind from the blast by BlackWarGreymon.

"Eosmon takes away our consciousness." Takeru warned everyone not to let their guards down. They were concerned if he had similar power as Eosmon. That meant danger for themselves and their partners if they were not careful enough.

"He's crying. " Hikari suddenly said.

"What?" The boys exclaimed in unison. They knew she was sensitive.

The Digimon turned his attention on Takeru and Hikari suddenly which led to the two angels blocking his sight before them.

"We'll not let you lay a hand on them."Angemon declared preparing to fight with his rod. The Digimon was emitting smoke from his mouth seemingly going to breathe out attack anytime. Angemon attempted to land a hit but was taken aback by its inexistence physically having his rod passed through his body like air and whipped by that Digimon and crash landed beside BlackWarGreymon.

"Angemon!" Takeru called out worriedly. What was this Digimon?

The Digimon continued his advance towards Takeru and the rest. Angewomon fired an arrow without a warning. The Digimon sensing the attack dodged and managed to escape with a scratch on his right arm.

BlackWarGreymon snapped, grabbing the Digimon by his neck and headed towards the sky to nearby waterbed taking the two Chosen Children by surprise. The Crest of Darkness glowed and reacted allowing him to grab the Digimon. He never seen this Digimon before but he was emitting a familiar aura he could not identify yet. He knew well not to destroy things in the Real World by now taking the battles away from the urban area.

"Tell me who are you?" BlackWarGreymon was getting pissed just by his existence alone. The Digimon who was out of control was emitting smoke from his mouth. There was no soul in his eyes, BlackWarGreymon realized. He did not even feel pain when BlackWarGreymon threw him into the barren ground nearby.

"Bonds… Bonds that do not belong should be eradicated." The Digimon said suddenly. "Human and Digimon should not even get involved with one another. You have no heart; you should know better. If there is no meeting, there won't be separation and there won't be heartbreak when it's time to separate." The Digimon said sounding like a robot reading from a textbook.

"What?" BlackWarGreymon recalled how he first met Taichi and Hikari in Hikarigaoka and was granted the sign of friendship. It hit him immediately that that was what the Digimon referred to. The Digimon smirked suddenly. A silhouette of a familiar human overlapped with the Digimon flashed in BlackWarGreymon's mind when the Digimon fired at him to cause a distraction to escape into a distortion.

"Wait!" BlackWarGreymon attempted to follow him through the distortion when the portal closed on him. That was when BlackWarGreymon realized a human was in control of this Digimon.

"My purpose is to eradicate the bonds of Digimon and the Chosen Children, to destroy the sign of friendship." The Digimon's voice echoed in BlackWarGreymon's head as the portal closed. BlackWarGreymon could only stared the space that Digimon disappeared into in bewilderment.

* * *

The apartment was destroyed. Incorporated Administrative Agency would likely cover this incident up. Daisuke and the others retreated quickly.

"That Digimon is crying. He resent us. He hate us. Why is it that we all have it all good while he needs to suffer all eternity?" This was what she sensed. Hikari was deep in thought. Tailmon tugged her hands for comfort. The group gathered in the park nearby.

"He'll be back for us if he's after us." Tailmon informed them. Takeru nodded. They would have to be prepared if this Digimon was just as dangerous as Eosmon.

"This is a Digimon Menoa Belucci had created using the data of a Chosen Child." Iori said staring up at the sky the Digimon disappeared into.

"If only I have brought him back with us. He won't be used for experiment by the target." Daisuke punched his fist into the ground in frustration as BlackWarGreymon landed before them.

"I failed everyone." Daisuke pulled off his goggles and wanted to smash it in a fit of anger.

"Daisuke, don't blame yourself." V-mon stopped him from smashing the pair of goggles he pulled off his head.

"Bear the weight of the goggles, boy." BlackWarGreymon said suddenly catching all of them by surprise.

"Hikari, long time no see." BlackWarGreymon decided to reveal his identity. Hikari widened her eyes upon realising who he was when he attempted to clap her hand with his huge claw.

"Ko-Koromon?" BlackWarGreymon nodded in acknowledgement. He was the Digiegg that appeared from her father's computer that fateful day which tied her and her brother's fate to the Digital World. They used to play together and Koromon used his ears to clap her hand.

* * *

"My data became infused with DNA of a human." BlackWarGreymon shared with them what happened to him after that day he disappeared with Parrotmon to the day he was born from the Dark Tower.

"Oikawa Yukio experimented with the human genetics with the Digimon and eventually created you. Menoa Belucci got further with his research and created Eosmon and that Digimon that chased us from the States all the way back here." Iori summarised what he had gathered so far. The Digimon was able to travel via the Digital Gate freely.

"Menoa transform human into data and used the data to fuse with Digimon." Daisuke was creeped out by the idea alone.

"This is just too much for us." Takeru realised things were getting complicated. "If only Koushirou-san is around. He will be able to figure these out."

"What do we do from now? We can't even land a hit on that Digimon." V-mon reminded them.

"Well, I did manage a scratch." Tailmon placed her paw on her waist feeling proud of her feat.

"How?" Patamon and Armadillomon was bewildered by this fact too.

"Maybe I evolved to Perfect Form?" Tailmon made an assumption glancing awkwardly at BlackWarGreymon who was a mega level Digimon. BlackWarGreymon on the other hand had some other ideas.

"BlackWarGreymon, what do you think?" Hikari felt a little awkward knowing him as their enemy before when they used to be friends for a short time. Fate decided to reunite them years later through unexpected mean.

An image of his memory of his human partner flashed in his mind. BlackWarGreymon peeked at the Crest he had on hand. What if it was only Hikari who could get to the Digimon if that was what that Digimon was what he thought he was. BlackWarGreymon understood staring at the girl with a worried expression.

BlackWarGreymon did not feel good at all. It was something unknown they had never encountered. This dimension was indeed different from where he came from.

* * *

BlackWarGreymon sat on the rooftop of the hospital staring up at the sky thinking about things. Taichi was only reconfigured when the one behind Qinglongmon activated the reboot. As for the Vault Diaboromon was after using Taichi in his dimension, did it even exist here?

The sun was shining brightly although it did not affect him. He could feel the warmth of the sun. It felt peaceful to him until a figure loomed over him. BlackWarGreymon readied his claw in response.

He was found by a man around thirties in suit and tie in the roof of the hospital.

"Long time no see. So I'm right. You're BlackWarGreymon. The Digimon I granted the sign of friendship to." BlackWarGreymon's eyes widen as soon as he saw the Crest he wore on his wrist.

"How?" BlackWarGreymon stared at the man who sat crossed legs beside him with wide eye in disbelief. His brown hair was already trimmed short and he was definitely an adult. BlackWarGreymon turned his head to the ground in the direction where Taichi was lying in coma below.

"This?" The Crest on his wrist glowed and the symbol was clear enough for recognition. The man beside BlackWarGreymon was actually a hologram. The image of man sizzled in the air. "There's no way I can be here in person but this is good enough. We can communicate and get things done." BlackWarGreymon stopped his defensive stance.

"Why are you here when you don't belong in this dimension?" He had been looking for him and he showed up for him.

"I have a favour for you and only you can help me." The man requested.

"You know we should not do things that affect the flow of the events, right?" BlackWarGreymon reminded the man. Years before, the man before the Dragon Warrior Digimon had locked down the worlds to preserve the peace after all. BlackWarGreymon was just lucky he managed to travel across time and dimensions when a gap somehow occurred during his confrontation with Qinglongmon and the one behind him.

"Say who who had fought Professor Belucci's creation Heliosmon from this dimension." The man said teasingly. BlackWarGreymon looked away. Since when he learned how to feel ashamed. He was a Digimon created from Dark Towers without a heart. As he looked away he had a glimpse of his black coat and noticed he seemed to have a cut on his arm. There were some blood seen on his torn coat sleeve.

"I called it Heliosmon. He's a sibling of Eosmon. His instinct is to break the sign of friendship, the bonds between the human and the Digimon." The man informed BlackWarGreymon. BlackWarGreymon narrowed his eyes. Heliosmon was the name of the Digimon Hikari and her friends had fought together with him.

Menoa attempted to hide this Digimon from the Agency and shared this fact with Izumi Koushirou. Unfortunately, nothing escaped his eyes at his time. After all, the guy who defeated her, Koushirou as a researcher in his dimension was one helpful resource with a variety of inventions enabling him to move freely in this dimension despite not being there in person. He had yet to be able to get Koushirou in this dimension to assist him. Of course, he was on the way to his rightful destiny.

"I'm just curious." The man said coldly looking up at the sky. "The Vault became corrupted and lost in my time so I opened the gate." The result was the tunnel BlackWarGreymon used to escape to this dimension.

The gates which run through the dimensions which were closed for the peace of all of the worlds had been open once more.

* * *

In the HQ of the Incorporated Administrative Agency, an explosion occurred. The cell Izumi Koushirou was detained in was destroyed.

"I'll have to destroy what will cease to exist eventually." The man spoke in unison with another voice that echoed within him to the horrified BlackWarGreymon when Crest of Darkness was suddenly cut off from him by the whip generated with the golden crest on his wrist. A beam of light shot out and impaled BlackWarGreymon through his chest and his armour broke. The Crest of Darkness dissipated destroyed by the light from the Golden Crest of Miracle. The man sizzled and a Digimon appeared where he stood.

"You're?" BlackWarGreymon realised in horror he was the Digimon he fought earlier, and he called himself Heliosmon.

"Sorry, BlackWarGreymon. I can't take any chance. Please help me by disappearing here and now." BlackWarGreymon collapsed attempting to reach for the Digimon who destroyed the bond of his and his partner.

"Don't worry, I'll have your partner join you shortly." The Digimon changed into his human form once more with an evil grin. BlackWarGreymon finally understood Qinglongmon's words when he wanted Taichi killed back then.

"D-don't...do... it..." BlackWarGreymon called out to the man who was the Child of Miracles again before his world ceased to exist.


	13. Side: TT

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takenouchi/Yagami Taichi had thought he had died on Hikari's lap in the trolley with his friends around him. He came from the world where he was reconfigured in 1999. Having woke up somewhere familiar yet not different from what he knew. Taichi then found out what his partner who loved him did to save him. Will Taichi be able to do something to protect his new life granted by BlackWarGreymon?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Takenouchi Taichi was a character I created in my other fanfics, Alternate Adventure and Destiny. He was reconfigured and back in the Real World after he was killed by Piemon in 1999. Taichi who was amnesiac was adopted by Sora's father in that dimension and was eventually reunited with his family. BlackWarGreymon was destined as one of Taichi's partner Digimon with the Crest of Darkness. Taichi was later assaulted by Demon and succumbed to the complication from the injury after Diaboromon strikes back. BlackWarGreymon had found his soul/data within the Crest of Darkness and swore to protect him after finding out the truth behind his death.
> 
> I don't intend to write this fanfic as a full fledged story, but rather in bits and pieces.
> 
> Digimon is not mine.

**Side: TT (Takenouchi/Yagami Taichi)**

Taichi was bewildered when he woke up. His eyelid felt heavy. He thought he had died on Hikari's lap. He placed his hand on his chest and felt the bandage over where his heart was. He survived somehow. Did he get a heart transplant? Taichi felt really confused. He could barely open his eyes when he sensed torchlight shining on his eyes. The light was too bright for him.

"Taichi-kun. Thank goodness, you're finally awake." A doctor in glasses smile gently to him.

"Jou?" Taichi called out with his muffled voice. His throat hurts. Taichi mustered more of his strength to scan around him. He was definitely in hospital and he was rather used to it. He was never out of the hospital until the day Diaboromon strike back.

"I'm Dr. Kido. Jou is my son though." The doctor brushed his hair gently to comfort the boy who seemed confused. He was incubated on the ventilator as his condition deteriorated after his last crash.

"Do you remember what happened to you?" He tried to ask him to check if there was any issue with his memory. Apparently, Taichi was too weak to talk that he fell back asleep.

* * *

Taichi was dreaming, regressing into the past.

There were many things that passed him by without his knowledge. Life still goes on after his apparent death by Piemon. His life was rebooted after that.

 _"For the sake of our plan, we can't have you alive with your Digivice as a threat. Don't worry; it will be painless for you. All will be over soon."_ He was gasping for air when a Digimon had his claw around his neck depriving him of the oxygen he badly needed. Taichi's eyes rolled aback when he fell limp on the Digimon's grasp.

" _I don't want to die."_ This was what was ingrained in young Taichi's mind when darkness took over him. He was helpless and no one was there to save him.

A crest appeared before him in the dark. If he put his mind on it, would his wish come true? Taichi extended his hand to reach out for it before he was engulfed in the wave of darkness. Surely Taichi could find his peace if he wished badly for it.

Taichi eventually found himself in the dark seaside in his dream staring to the horizon which was never-ending. The ocean seemed so calm. This was whole new world Dragomon and his minion resided and watched over. This world under Dragomon's control was known by the Chosen Children as the Dark Ocean. A huge battle had occurred between involving Lilithmon, Dragomon and the Chosen Children soon after his death.

The next time he woke up after his first trip to the Dark Ocean, he ended up in Tamachi where his new life without his past life memories began. There, he met some kind people who knew him and accepted as who he was, firstly there was the Ichijouji family, Ichijouji Osamu and his brother Ken.

Ichijouji Osamu was one hell of smart guy Taichi could never outwit. Despite Osamu's wisdom, he was able to defeat Osamu in soccer if he tried hard enough. Osamu was nice, he chose to play with him as an equal. Osamu never looked down on him as an orphan like many did.

_"Why don't you play with us?" He asked the depressed boy. "I heard what Hideki-kun did to you. He was just sour because you play better than him." The boy explained. "I had been watching you and I know you are really good in soccer. We can take Hideki's team down together."_

_"My name is Ichijouji Osamu and what's your name?" The blue haired boy asked._

_"Taichi… that's the only name I know." The boy with the huge brown hair forced his words out. "I don't remember my full name."_

_"Are you suffering from a memory loss?" Osamu understood. That was why the boys in the neighbourhood picked on him._

_"Let's make new ones, then. What was past is over, you can't create them but we can create all kinds of futures. Let's create new memories together!" Osamu extended his hand to the boy, Taichi for a handshake._

_"Together?"_

_"Yeah, together! Let's be friends!" Osamu said. Taichi paused for a moment._

_"Friends?" He took his hands._

Osamu met an accident and died not long after. Taichi was adopted by Sora's father, Takenouchi Haruhiko by the stroke of fate and moved to Kyoto. Taichi met Nishijima Daigo and Mochizuki Meiko. They gave him a reason to look forward to his new life after Osamu's death.

* * *

_"Ahh, my cake!" Nishijima Daigo cried out as Taichi helped himself to the sweets._

_"Oh, sorry, do you mind if I have this?" Taichi asked on purpose. Some cream remained over his lips._

_"Go ahead, you had bitten into it." Nishijima could only lament about it while Taichi ate in excitement._

_"Thank you, sir!"_

_"Just put anything in!" Nishijima was urging him to join a club. Taichi had no idea at all._

_"Then I want to be with my friends" Nishijima frowned at his answer. Taichi did not have any friend he could confide in since Osamu. His younger brother, Ken was in his mind._

_"I used to be able to see them often. I hope his younger brother is doing well after he gone somewhere far away." Nishijima wrote "_ _外国_ _" which literally meant overseas. That was totally out of bound but kind of correct except that Taichi could not reach him anymore._

 _"In this case, I thought of something you can try." Nishijima grinned as an idea crept to his mind as he raised another word "_ _夢_ _" (dream). He was after all still a new teacher of Nagaokakyou Junior High School. They could try anything._

_That was how Taichi became the Student Council President in his first year of Junior High School. It helped to his mind of the emptiness he had._

Nishijima-sensei wanted something from him but was never able to tell him. Taichi could tell his anxiety judging from his eyes and he was often sitting outside his room in his own thought. Taichi left a letter for him, hoping he could read it one day.

* * *

_"Do you want to come in and have dinner with us?" Meiko cupped her mouth realising what she said. Taichi looked surprised._

_"Please come in, Takenouchi-kun. Your father won't be home tonight as well, isn't it?" Her father added. Glancing at Meiko, Taichi felt bad if he rejected their offer and his stomach was growling. He blushed a little holding his stomach._

_He nodded awkwardly as Mrs Mochizuki laid the food before him._

_"Please help yourself, Takenouchi-kun. Growing boys like you ought to eat more. I'm sure your father would say the same." Professor Mochizuki urged. He seemed like a stern father but he was concerned for the children._

_"Please just call me Taichi. I often heard Professor talking about you and your research..." Taichi said taking a bite on the meatball and stiffened._

_"Takenouchi-san?" Meiko asked. Taichi found himself tearing up. He realised this quickly this time. He must not embarrass himself before Meiko again._

_"The meatball is the nicest I had ever tasted." Taichi exclaimed changing the subject._

That was the best family dinner he had during that period. He was really grateful to Mochizuki for it so much so that he wrote a letter to her while he still could with the remaining time he had.

* * *

Diaboromon was a Digimon he mistaken as his partner. He approached him when he was most vulnerable and lost as Takenouchi Taichi who stayed in Kyoto.

_"Do you miss your family?" The Digiegg messaged. Taichi blinked._

_"I know where your real family is." It typed. "The family that abandoned you." It added. "I can lead you to them."_

_His heart was thumping hard when he stalked the Yagami's family out for their family day. He could not believe he had come to Odaiba, a city he had been avoiding. Watching how much fun and laughter the Yagami family had, he could not get the words from his friend out of his head._

_"It doesn't matter if you are around, they don't even bother to search or care about you. Your sister is the one who they care about."_

Taichi was foolish enough to believe him after eavesdropping on Yamato who got close to him because of his personal agenda, his family not feeling sad at all from the loss of their son, Daisuke who seemed to have it good in life.

_"I told you. Even if no one cares about you, you still have me." The Digiegg in his laptop typed._

_"We will always be together, Taichi."_

He was so resentful that he could not believe in anyone. He felt everybody was taking advantage of him for their own benefits, treating him like an idiot.

_"Taichi-san, I have something to discuss with you." Ichijouji Ken pulled out his black D3 and showed him. "What you see in Kyoto is a fact, I won't deny it. I'm involved with the Digimon. I'm one of the Chosen Children chosen to defend the Digital World like you."_

_"Like me?"_

_"You have a Digivice, don't you?" Ken asked politely. Taichi paused for a while before shaking his head. He had hidden it in his bag. After what he had eavesdropped from Yamato, he did not think he could trust them, the Chosen Children._

_"I had seen Digimon but that doesn't mean I have it." Taichi found himself lying. Ken seemed to have believed him. He pulled out the protective charm Taichi had given him._

_"How about this? Do you recognize it?" Taichi stared at the tag and nodded. He could not lie for this. "It was something I had left after losing my memories. I didn't know where it came from anyway." He said quietly._

* * *

_"Yes, they are just using me, keeping tabs on me. I don't understand them at all." Taichi confessed to Kuramon. "I don't need any of them as friends."_

_"I will be with you. I'm your partner, Taichi." Kuramon said._

_"Use your Digivice and unlock me. We will be together forever." Taichi was tempted._

Taichi unleashed Kuramon which ultimately used his memory to get to a hidden Vault in the Digital World. The vault contains memories of the former batches of Chosen Children and Chosen Children who was deleted from the Digital World. It contains negative feelings from their last moment such as fear, resentment and regrets. Diaboromon feeds on these data to grow stronger. Taichi did not even flinch when he witnessed Keramon feasting on the memories data of his brother and sister as well as the other kids from the orphanage. Maybe it was better off for them to lose their bad memories.

He had lost his mind and made a huge mistake. He was only enlightened by Daisuke's persistence to get him back on track. Even though Agumon managed to achieve a new evolution with Yamato's Gabumon. The price he paid was his memories and the bonds he had with his brother and sister in the orphanage. He would carry this sin as long as he lived.

* * *

_"Yagami Taichi was the easiest target. I had wanted to give him a painless death but he was just plain unlucky."_

Taichi placed his right hand over his heart to feel for his heartbeat which had been weak and erratic since his injury inflicted by Demon lord Digimon, Demon. His body merely reacted when he sensed malice coming for Osamu's little brother whom he also saw as his younger brother, Ken. He shoved him away in the nick of time.

Taichi eyes widen in fear at the sight of a certain beast Digimon holding his body up in the air with his claw impaled through his chest and punctured his heart. The pain was so excruciating but he was unable to scream overwhelmed by his fear. He did not think he would survive when he crashed landed on the ground heavily on his head when the assailant discarded him like a broken rag doll. He felt his life leaving him with overflowing blood pouring out from his perforated heart and his head as he struggled to keep himself awake.

He heard that people get to review the whole of their lives in their mind before they die and he thought it may be the same for him. Taichi thought he could regain my lost memories as he was bleeding out and dying. At the same time, the thought of letting go felt alluring to him.

"Hikari?" Taichi recoiled at the sight of his sister's bloodied face as he coughed out blood right on her face as soon as she touched his battered and trembling body which gone into a fit. He must have scared her and he felt really bad about it. Not only he was a bad elder brother to her, he caused her to worry about him so much when he should be the one protecting her. In the end, he was unfair to her. He cared for Ken more than he did for her. He gave his life to protect Ken.

Demon showed himself and the rest were really afraid after witnessing the cruelty inflicted on him. Taichi clutched his chest in excruciating pain. He was bleeding profusely from his wound and coughing out blood which was choking him. He was losing consciousness yet he did not want to give up without a fight to protect his friends. After all, he finally recalled how Demon was the one who caused the loss of his memory.

_"But, how will you feel if you failed to protect your partner and had to watch helplessly as he dies? I failed Taichi twice!"_

_"I'm sorry, Agumon."_

Taichi was sorry but he needed Agumon to protect them in spite of fear and the loss of his Crest of Courage.

_"Agumon… time to… evolve." He pulled out his Digivice which glowed in orange. Agumon felt a surge of power. It was the same even though Taichi just lost his crest._

_"Agumon warp evolved… WarGreymon!" WarGreymon would fight to avenge Taichi._

He gone into shock after defeating Demon and remained in coma for the next few years.

"You're not allowed to live." Demon's voice echoed in his head.

Taichi slept for four years. He woke up and was given a death sentence unless he could get a heart transplant. Somehow, he took the news in peace. He felt he deserved that punishment for the trouble he had caused.

* * *

_It was the day after Diaboromon's alternate form, Armagemon was defeated by Imperialdramon Paladin Mode granted his new power by Omegamon._

_Taichi had managed to seal the Digiegg of Diaboromon on his own. He took a deep breath as he watched the Digiegg faded before him._

_"We could have been friends." Taichi recalled his time with Kuramon who kept him company on the hardest of time when he was led to believe that his friends had betrayed him._

_"Sealing completed." He announced before he felt his heart throbbed in pain. He lost his balance to be caught by Yamato on his arms. Taichi was grateful to have a chance to tie up the loose end and join them in the gathering. Everyone was trying to cheer him up._

Taichi had his friends around him at the last moment of his life. Everyone would eventually die, and he was just leaving earlier. He did not want anyone to cry for him. He wanted Hikari and Ken to get along. It was then his memories somehow came back to him. He indeed got to review his whole life. He finally remembered everyone and the adventure he went through with them.

_"Remember, I told you before that I heard that people get to review the whole of their lives in their mind before they die? Thank you for everything. Thank you for defeating Piemon and keeping everyone safe. You are really a great leader to them and for guiding Daisuke and the rest." Taichi said struggling to focus his gaze at Yamato, his true best friend._

_"I feel really tired. It's ok… if I leave… the rest… to you… right?"_

He could finally let go and rest in peace. If there was a next life, he would like to go on another adventure with his friends again. He smiled as he breathed his last.

* * *

Or so he thought.

Taichi found himself awake once more. He did not know how he was at a rooftop as he witnessed WarGreymon no, BlackWarGreymon impaled by another Digimon in horror. He tried to reach out for him.

Taichi knew BlackWarGreymon. He could not remember him when he first met him and he ever wondered if his partner, Agumon was the same Digimon that came to Hikarigaoka. Now he was sure.

"Koromon!" Taichi yelled knowing that he was the first partner he ever had. The Digimon escaped into a portal as BlackWarGreymon collapsed and his body was broken like his from Demon's assault.

Taichi ran to BlackWarGreymon. He was trying to reach out for him too as he laid battered and dying. Taichi remembered his soul was sealed in Digimental of Darkness after his death. With the help of the Child of Miracle, he was able to seal off the Dark Ocean trapping Lilithmon and Dragomon in it.

_"Taichi is the creator. He decided to delete the world. This is his true wish, Dragomon so let's rest in peace!" BlackWarGreymon replied closing his eyes as his data broke into pieces. BlackWarGreymon was at peace._

_"NO DEMON-SAMA!" Lilithmon cried as she was deleted along with the remnants of the Dark Ocean._

_"BlackWarGreymon, I'm sorry and thank you." Taichi regretted for not replying to Koromon the sign of friendship back then. He accepted his Crest of Darkness and sank back into darkness._

But BlackWarGreymon retrieved the Crest of Darkness and had been protecting him since then.

"I'm so sorry for forgetting about you, Koromon." Taichi cried attempted to hold his claw but his hands went through BlackWarGreymon's physical form. BlackWarGreymon appeared to be in peace looking at Taichi. Taichi realised he was floating. He was in data form. BlackWarGreymon was glad he managed to transfer out Taichi's data he had hidden in the Crest of Darkness to the body of Kamiya Taichi who died.

"Don't forget our sign of friendship." BlackWarGreymon reached out pat his head with his claw but ended falling limp as his data was breaking down. BlackWarGreymon seemed to be sorry for not being able to stay by his side when he needed the most. Taichi could only watch helplessly as BlackWarGreymon's data dissipated in the air.

"No, Koromon..." Taichi extended his hand once more to grasp for any remnant of his data. BlackWarGreymon would always have a place in his heart. The short time they had together in Hikarigaoka was precious to BlackWarGreymon.

"Live well, live out this stupid life as long as you can. Find your happiness, Taichi!" That was BlackWarGreymon's final words to him before his world turned black once more.

* * *

Taichi was finally back in the living world thanks to BlackWarGreymon's effort. Jou, Mimi and Mochizuki Meiko were with him when he finally woke up after hearing from Dr. Kido.

"Taichi-san, I'm so glad." Mimi called him excitedly. Taichi turned his head to the side. He did not know how he should face them and he found Daisuke who was sitting at the wall across the room watching him cautiously. For a moment, Daisuke thought he was going to cause them any harm with his killer stare on him. The air felt so stiff.

Daisuke's face broke into a huge smile after a moment of silence which caught him by surprise.

"Taichi-san, I'm glad you managed to pull through." Taichi found his hands being held by Daisuke who was shaking both his hands in excitement. Taichi was too tired to care. His face was covered by the oxygen mask which was likely to be sedating him. Guess his condition must have improved but his eyelid still felt really heavy.

"Daisuke-kun, let Taichi-kun rest." Jou pulled Daisuke away noticing Taichi's drooping eyes.

"Kamiya-kun, I…" Mochizuki wanted to say something but shook her head as Taichi fell back asleep. Taichi need some time to recover his strength.

"Kamiya?" The name was his last thought before he lost his consciousness. He was confused as Mochizuki Meiko should know him at least know him as 'Takenouchi'.

* * *

Taichi found himself pitting against a Digimon named after a god of Sun, Heliosmon. He was the one behind the assault of BlackWarGreymon and Digimon incidents involving the broken sign of friendship. Taichi sensed how awfully they resembled one another.

Heliosmon was impressed by Taichi's relentless to finally reach him despite his difficulties in keeping up when his days were numbered. By now, Taichi should be too weak to even stand and Taichi's body was wrecking in pain from his attack throwing him off distance. Taichi was relentless, no matter how many times he fell from his attacks, he picked himself up. Somehow, Heliosmon could not get himself to finish Taichi off.

Taichi still struggled to stand up. He failed in his previous life which he had no control of. He did not want to waste this life BlackWarGreymon had fought for him.

A portal opened and an Agumon fell out from it. That Agumon came from another dimension.

"Taichi!" Agumon who was really worried about him, placing his claw over his hand which was clutching his chest. Agumon knew all about his ailment. Taichi smiled in acceptance. Seemed like Taichi from his dimension was like him, well-liked and brave.

"As long as my heart is still beating, I'll not give up." Taichi accepted Agumon's help to help him up. Agumon was here to rescue his partner who had been corrupted and Taichi would support him to save him like the rest did for him.

" _Whoever become your partner is the luckiest Digimon." Agumon felt that Taichi was kind and brave, well-liked by everyone who knew him. He had something within him which could bring everyone together. A Chosen Child hard to find._

Taichi smiled at Agumon holding up his or rather Kamiya Taichi's broken Digivice. A new evolution occurred. Taichi watched in awe. That was the legendary Agumon, Bond of Courage who only appeared in this dimension. They were ready to fight. This would be their final battle.


	14. Side: Takeru

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takeru watched fearfully as Taichi died on Yamato's arms many years ago. It had never occurred to him until recently that Taichi could be back from the reboot until recently. He regretted for not following up closely with Daisuke and his team who had eyes on him who was back and they hid the fact from them in order not to give them hope until they were really sure. Takeru was determined to find out what Daisuke and the rest were up before he was too late again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Let's complicate things further. Adventure and 02 were really classic. The plot lines are truly amazing when I watched them again as adults.
> 
> Digimon is not mine.

3 August 1999. It was a day Takeru could never forget. It was the day the world was saved with the defeat of the Dark Masters, the day they became the heroes for saving the world and the day they lost one of their own.

* * *

***Flashback***

_"Taichi!" Yamato and Jou were riding on Garurumon while Sora and Takeru returned on Birdramon. They were rushing to help Taichi to battle Piemon._

_Piemon jumped aback at the sight of their return._

_"You had made a late entrance. But no matter, the result will be the same either way."_

_Takeru could never forget how his brother's eyes widened at the sight of Taichi who sprawled on the ground as a pool of red liquid pooled around him. Takeru could not explain it. It was a different kind of fear they had ever experienced. It was different from the times when they watched how Vandemon destroyed Pumpkinmon and Gotsumon._

_"Taichi…" He muttered picking him up turning him over and placed his head on his lap. Takeru did not understand much but he knew Taichi was badly injured, red dying his shirt in increasing range._

_Jou looked away frantically searching for any first-aid items. He handed Yamato a towel to stop his bleeding but the towel was soaked in red as soon as he placed on his wound. Taichi grimaced in pain._

_"Taichi, hang in there!" Yamato cried. Takeru came to his side with Sora and Koushirou watched on fearfully while Hikari attempted to approach her brother with her trembling legs._

_He was aware how it hurts to get a cut so Taichi-san must be in terrible pain having a hole in his chest. His face scrunched in pain and he had trouble catching his breath while trying to speak to his brother._

_"You are finally here…" Taichi said in a barely audible voice. "I… waited all… these time for… you to get here…" Taichi coughed out blood._

_"Save your breath." Yamato tried to calm him down. Sora brushed Taichi's hair in an attempt to help him feel better. Takeru watched on tearfully. He did not know how he could help Taichi._

_"Oniichan…" Tears welled up Hikari's eyes._

_"I knew… you'd come. I… believed… you would…" Taichi continued talking to Yamato._

_"Thank you for believing in me but I'm sorry I was so late. Taichi, you are my true friend! I won't let your friendship be in vain!" Yamato declared. His Crest of Friendship lit up. Garurumon closed in to nuzzle WarGreymon on his head restoring him to full health. Piemon was taken aback._

_"Yamato's Crest of Friendship gave me the power to restore WarGreymon back to life." Garurumon explained._

_Thank you Garurumon. Now I can fight again!" WarGreymon was grateful. Garurumon reverted to Gabumon to prep himself for Warp Evolution. Yamato was relieved at the revival of WarGreymon but was troubled at the sight of the Taichi whose condition worsened instead._

_"Shit! His wound is not healing!" Yamato realized in horror at the overflowing blood from his wound. "Taichi, you got to hang in there, you will be alright! Jou, do something!" Yamato ordered to only see Jou sniffing and shaking his head. Takeru was fearful. Was there no way to help Taichi-san at all?_

_"It's ok… Yamato…" Taichi smiled weakly lifting his blood-stained hand to be caught by Yamato. "You… are a better… leader than I… ever could be…." A drop of tear trickled down Taichi's cheek. Takeru saw Taichi looking at his direction. By then his eyes seem to have lost its light. At that moment, Takeru could sense fear from his eyes._

_"End… the… battle, save the… world… Keep… everybody… safe… It's ok… if I leave… the rest… to you… right?"_

_"No… Taichi, you will be…" Before Yamato could finish, Yamato watched as Taichi's eyes closed and his hands had fell limply to his side._

_"NO, TAICHI!" Yamato screamed when Taichi breathed his last. Takeru hugged Patamon tightly when Taichi's body turned into data and dissipated like those Digimon who died did._

_The fact that Taichi died had hit hard on them. He cried as hard as Hikari did. He could not imagine how she felt to lose her beloved big brother right before her eyes._

***End Flashback***

* * *

Time passed by Daisuke, Miyako, Iori and Ken eventually joined them as the new Chosen Children. When Takeru got into writing, he tried checking with Ken on his adventure. Ken had never spoken of what he had been through before becoming the Digimon Kaiser but Takeru could tell that it had been a painful experience.

Was becoming a Chosen Child a painful experience? They had their share of fun and hardship. Takeru was glad to have met them, Patamon, the Digimon and their fellow partners. Without their experience, he might not be that close to his brother now, he wouldn't have gotten close to Hikari. he would never been friends with people like Sora-san, Koushirou-san, Jou-senpai, Mimi-san, Daisuke, Miyako-san, Iori-kun, Mochizuki-san and also Taichi-san either.

_"Taichi-san, I was able to protect everyone!" Young Takeru reported excitedly._

_"Great job, Takeru!" Taichi was relieved they were safe._

Takeru had always believed strongly that Taichi had been watching over them, hence, they were able to get through their adventure and saved both worlds again and again.

* * *

A reboot happened years later. It had not occurred to him the possibilities it brought after than his fear of losing Patamon. Patamon lost his memories of him when they were reunited.

_"If Digimon die in the human world, they can't be revived. That's where a reboot comes in. All those guys who died over there come back." Said the evil Gennai look-alike came close to his face in a flash. He was frozen stiff by his sudden action. Thankfully Patamon helped him out attacking him on his face granting him time to escape._

These words from Dark Gennai echoed in his mind.

_"Reboot?" Hikari blinked in confusion._

"What if…" Some crazy ideas came to Takeru's mind. Koushirou and his brother probably had the ideas way before he did. Takeru was getting excited. Until now, Takeru still questioned if Taichi-san could be like those Digimon who died in the Primary Village, to be reborn in the Primary Village. Nobody heard or seen Taichi since then whether in Digital World or in the Real World since his apparent death. Maybe there was a chance with the reboot.

He was interrupted before he could share with Hikari about his idea.

* * *

Iori moved quickly to block Takeru and Hikari from Daisuke with both his arms extended wide open, giving Daisuke window to evade from Takeru's questioning earlier.

"I'm sorry." Iori shook his head. Iori would share what he could. He would bring them somewhere first.

* * *

"No…" Hikari shook her head in disbelief. Iori brought Takeru and Hikari to the grave of 'Yagami Taichi' after Daisuke took off with V-mon.

"This cannot be. My brother had gone missing. He shouldn't even have a grave in the Real World." Takeru recalled there was a makeshift grave for Taichi which was gone after the reboot.

"Hikari." Tailmon called out realizing some not-to-be-said words had slipped from Hikari.

"Oniichan, are you really back?" Hikari traced her fingers over the engraving of the name on the grave of her precious brother. Takeru placed his hand on her shoulder to comfort her with Patamon looking down sadly on his hat. It was really unbelievable.

"Does Aniki know?" Takeru asked trying not to lose it if his brother really kept this fact from him. Iori nodded.

"Koushirou-senpai and Yamato-senpai did ask us to keep a look out during our travel." Iori said quietly admitting they had eyes on Taichi. Takeru was getting pissed. Why didn't they let them know. Why didn't Yamato and Koushirou bring him back home?

"It was not long ago when we found him in the States. Daisuke didn't want to affect his life at first but to observe him, since like all Digimon who had rebooted, he didn't have memories of his past. He had been living his life by another name." Iori continued with his eyes focused on Taichi's name on the grave.

Why didn't he realized earlier that they have other agenda on top of Daisuke and his 'Ramen' trip? He could have followed them on their trips. He realized how much he did not know about them. Life had caught up to them so much that the two of them had drifted apart from Daisuke and the rest. They did not even realize that Daisuke and the rest was held captive by Yggdrasil and gone missing for months five years ago.

"I'm sorry, Iori." Takeru muttered. No amount of apology could make up to this blunder of theirs. They failed as their friends. Iori shook his head. All was done and over with. They should look past that and moved on.

"Is Kamiya, Taichi-san?" Takeru asked carefully. Hikari turned towards Takeru upon hearing the name and grabbed his hand in need of comfort. Hikari was sensitive. Even without having to hear Iori's response, she was sure Kamiya was the name her brother went with. His apartment would be exactly like what her brother's room would be like if he was still around.

"Taichi-san died from a heart ailment." Iori said. Takeru eyed him closely. Iori was not one who would lie. He would give himself away. Yet that was what was stated in the Agency's report Iori shared with him. This was unbelievable since not even Hikari knew that Taichi was suffering from such a serious illness.

"Hikari, I…" Takeru did not know how he could comfort her. He pulled her into his arms and allowed her to cry.

"Why did Oniichan have to die?" Hikari's hands reached out to Taichi's grave in tears. Her brother must be very lonely when he died in the hospital not knowing that he still had a family, a sister. He must have died in regret. Takeru did not know how he could answer her. While they keep talking about changing their destiny, Taichi was never able to escape.

"Iori…" Armadillomon tugged his partner's hand sadly.

Takeru felt there were more to it. He noted that Iori bit his lips. He watched Iori dug for his phone from his pocket.

"This is Hida Iori." Iori dropped his phone after hearing what the other party had to say.

* * *

Takeru could not believe it when the three of them arrived at the HQ of the Incorporated Administrative Agency. The cell Koushirou was detained in exploded. This day had been as hellish as it was.

Hikari was trembling. After hearing the tragic news about her brother, now it was Koushirou-san? Iori could not believe his ears when he heard what had happened from the security guard at the entrance as the Agency had ordered a lockdown.

"It's the work of Menoa Belucci." An agent who looked annoyed walked towards Iori said. "This is why we wanted to locate her lab fast. Izumi Koushirou just wouldn't give it to us."

"Agent Kaho." Iori greeted politely.

"Oh, Agent Hida, aren't you with Agent Motomiya? You guys are really role models of the Chosen Children those Children who only keep Digimon as their pets should follow. Pets should be kept in cage." Agent Kaho remarked after noticing Takeru and Hikari's presence. Takeru noted that this agent was disgusted at the sight of their Digimon judging from his expression.

"Pets?" Takeru was not happy to hear that. He did not know better. How much Patamon had done to save the world? Angemon had even sacrificed himself once. How much effort, tears, sweat and sacrifices the others had made to save the world? Digimon were never pets. They were their partners, their friends.

"I want you to apologise to them." Takeru raised his head to Hikari's direction. She was pissed off by the comment as well.

"Apologise." Hikari said again in a serious tone.

"Save for those like you, the other Chosen Children, had they ever dealt with Digimon incident? Have they even bothered other than keeping them at home as company." Agent Kaho did not take them seriously.

"I say all Chosen Children should be deployed to fight at the frontline. After all, you are chosen by Homeostasis to defend the Digital World. With such powerful weapons like Digimon on hand, you should do more to defend us to justify all the tearing down of buildings in battles." Agent Kaho scoffed at the two of them and walked off.

"Apologise." Hikari cried out loud at his direction and her body glowed suddenly. Because they were Chosen Children, they were obliged to be watched and to fight like soldiers? Hikari was in tears. It was not like they wanted it in the first place. Taichi would not have died if he was not a Chosen Child. The light that engulfed Hikari subsided. Takeru caught her in his arms as she collapsed. She was too drained.

"Hikari." Tailmon called Hikari who looked so distraught. She probably seen something when her body glowed earlier.

"Oniichan…" She cried in Takeru's arms. Takeru patted her head holding her and allowed her to cry.

"Iori, I'll take Hikari-chan home first." Takeru tried to compose himself with Patamon flying beside him, watching quietly. Iori nodded in understanding. It was hard to keep going now.

* * *

Takeru held on to Hikari's shoulder to help her walk home. She was unable to walk on her own, having to lean against Takeru to walk. She must be devastated. They were silent throughout the journey.

"Oniichan is still alive. " Hikari said suddenly when they passed by the playground near Hikari's place.

"What?" Takeru could not believe his ears, his eyes fell on Hikari who was staring on the ground.

"That Digimon… he is Oniichan..." Hikari muttered under her breath. Her eyes widened in horror. Takeru was aware she was sensitive. This was still inconceivable. Takeru rubbed her arms to comfort her.

Tailmon tugged Hikari's hand. She believed her. Now it made sense.

"The vision Eosmon showed me was Taichi's memory." Tailmon concluded. "The only question is, the memory doesn't belong here." The feline Digimon pinched her chin in thought.

"I guess I'll really have to speak to Daisuke." Takeru decided himself. They needed to do something if Hikari and Tailmon was right about that Digimon.

* * *

Takeru managed to get Daisuke to meet him after sending Hikari home. He was expecting Daisuke to reject him outright but surprisingly, he wanted Takeru to meet him at the hospital Jou-senpai was working in.

He spotted Daisuke and Mochizuki when he passed by garden of the hospital. V-mon and Meicoomon was not with them. It was just the two of them. Takeru decided to eavesdrop since they probably would not share anything they did not know, and it was likely regarding dimensions travelling Daisuke and the rest were involved in. Hikari and his D-3 just would not work when they attempted to follow them once. The two of them somehow received an error message, 'Access Unauthorised'.

"Mochizuki-san, aren't you happy, now that a timeline with a new possibility had been created?" Daisuke did not sound happy about it. Takeru realized they were doing something behind their back. He was shocked that Mochizuki had a big role.

"Takeru?" Patamon whispered.

"Shh…" Takeru knew Patamon was worried.

Mochizuki Meiko looked away from Daisuke and walk past him before she stopped. Her gaze raised to the starry sky above. The weather was clear, the sparkling of stars was not very obvious where they were in a city. Her palms clapped together as she prayed to the sky even so.

"I just can't bear to see _him_ suffer anymore." Meiko said. Daisuke did not look happy with her answer.

"And Koushirou-senpai needed to be sacrificed for this. I can't understand." Daisuke said quietly and pulled his fringe, his expression was unreadable.

"Do we need to exchange a life for a life? Is there any other way? I know he is fighting hard in many dimensions in his timeline even though I won't be able to know the outcome. I believe in one of the them, he would make it alright." Daisuke continued talking. Takeru pulled off his hat and clutched it to his chest. He had too many questions.

"But not in any of my memories, he made it!" Meiko replied, raising her voice a little. She sounded desperate. "So I have to create one on my own."

"Mochizuki-san!" Daisuke yelled, his hand clenched into fist.

"It was not what we agreed!" Daisuke grabbed her on her shoulder shaking her as he could not take it any longer. He wanted her to wake up. "We can't create any new timeline. Do you understand how many lives will be affected? What about their happiness and their pain? In this dimension, we need not go through all these! I made a mistake before and I can't allow you to do the same. You and _him_ will have to carry the guilt of causing Koushirou-senpai's death for the rest of your life."

"Izumi Koushirou is not dead. I promise." Meiko exclaimed. Tears welled up her eyes. Daisuke's eyes widened. He calmed himself down as he stared into Meiko's eyes in disbelief. Daisuke's eyes seemed to fill with hope after digesting her words now.

"What are you talking about? What kind of mistake was made? What is it about sacrifice? Is Koushirou-san still alive?" Takeru said stuttering. He decided to show himself with Patamon flying beside him. He felt really confused and he wanted answers.

Meiko looked shocked at Takeru's presence and she turned to face Daisuke who seemed to have known of this. Daisuke's D-3 had reacted to Takeru's D-3. He just wanted Takeru to chance upon them this way so Meiko would be forced to involve Takeru into her plan.

"Well, if Koushirou-senpai is alive, I'm fine with it." Daisuke answered seemingly recovered from his anger. He seemed very excited now.

"We'll need to locate that missing crest and fulfill Nishijima-sensei's request soon with _his_ help. There will be a change in the possibilities this dimension can have." Daisuke gave a pat on Takeru's shoulder walking past him with a huge smile plastered on his face. There was a big plan in place.

They would create another destiny outside his and Yagami Taichi's 'standard' with their own hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: There are two standard timelines in my fanfic: Taichi-centric and Daisuke-centric where either one would get to do a dimension travel with their team they did to DigiQuartz in Xros Wars. Takeru and Hikari would belong to Taichi's team (Daisuke's team didn't have Takeru and Hikari in Xros Wars). What if the first time Daisuke met Taichi, he realised he doesn't appear in his life? Daisuke vaguely remembered Taichi from soccer club when he was in grade 2, encountered him during Vandemon's siege but could not exactly remember him until he met him again during the events happened in Xros Wars?


	15. Side: Daigo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nishijima Daigo is a Chosen Child of one of the Holy Beast which had been sealed since the reappearance of the Dark Masters. Finally there came a batch of Chosen Children who defeated the Dark Masters and they could help release their partner Digimon of their seal. Daigo's partner, Baihumon remained sealed as one of the crests was lost after the loss of the Chosen Child. As much as he wanted to save Baihumon, he could not bring himself to reverse what they had done. A fateful meeting with dimension travelers changed him and gave him hope. Could he escape the dreadful fate he was dealt with?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: I was quite surprised to be able to come up with this chapter. I find characters like this easier to write than the main characters. There's this saying that if you can't find a plot you like to read, write one yourself.
> 
> Once again, in the setting of Menoa of this fanfic, she was one of the members in Daigo's team. She has to be older than Taichi.
> 
> Digimon belongs to Toei.

**Year 2000**

Nishijima Daigo was eagerly waiting for news from Gennai. Today was the day the seal of their Digimon would be lifted. Gennai would gather the Chosen Children to release the power of their crests to release the seal on their Partner Digimon.

His face darkened when Gennai finally contacted him after he had done with the rest of his friends through a computer.

"I'm sorry, Daigo. I'm afraid one of the crests had been lost, thus we are unable to fully lift the seal casted on Baihumon." Gennai broke the news with his tone as gentle as possible to the former leader of the former team of the Chosen Children. Gennai expected to leave the teenager alone when he spoke up.

"Yagami Taichi." Daigo repeated that name he would carve it in his mind. At that point of time, Daigo really resented that fallen Chosen Child. It was because of him, he could not reunite with his partner.

"Is there any other way to save Baihumon?" Daigo decided to ask for a favour from Gennai through the screen with pleading eyes. Gennai mouthed a word.

"REBOOT."

"REBOOT?" Daigo mirrored him. He clenched his fist. That was also an answer his to-be girlfriend, Himekawa Maki received from Yggdrasil back then. However, the price involved would be rather high.

* * *

**January 2003**

"The successor of Courage and Friendship can't help to release the seal. Is there no other way? The current partner of Agumon can't do it too." Daigo attempted to calm himself down making tea in the pantry after a chat with Gennai. He was a teacher in Odaiba Middle School. His dressing was unlike a teacher. A lab coat over T-shirt and shorts.

The Chosen Children defeated BelialVandemon, the children who had gone missing became Chosen Children with Digimon Partner.

Daigo could not help but to feel sad. Despite their victory, there was sacrifices made. Oikawa Yukio who was possessed by BelialVandemon had sacrificed himself turning his life into energy and set it free in order to restore the Digital World.

Daigo sighed in defeat.

"Why are you sighing, senpai?" A voice of a girl ranged in his ears.

"You came, Meno-chan." Daigo raised his head to face the girl who just arrived from NYC. Nishijima should be the one popping over to her since she was the one in need of comfort. Menoa was having her very first winter holidays. On the day she was accepted into her university, she lost her partner. Rather, the bond was broken.

Nishijima passed her a cup of tea. Menoa was settled down in kneeling position before him, her facial expression was unreadable.

"Are we ready to go for Project R?" She asked carefully sipping her tea while it was still hot.

Daigo stood up and looked out of the window, his hand on his waist.

"Why're you and Hime-chan so hard up for this?" Nishijima wondered if that was a good idea ever since Gennai mentioned it to him. Nishijima had tried to talk Himekawa Maki out of her obsession and they broke up because of it.

"Not only our partners can come back, Daigo-senpai, you'll be able to see Bearmon again if the seal on him could be broken." Menoa would keep trying to convince him. Daigo took a sharp breathe and slammed on the table.

"What right do you think we have to do so? Do you know how much Chosen Children had done in the past few years and finally defeated the Dark Masters and even BelialVandemon? Are we going to erase all their efforts?" Daigo questioned Menoa once more to think again.

"If the Crest of Courage can be reconstructed, don't you think we can try? I believe the Chosen Children will even support you if one of their own can be revived." Menoa raised an important point.

"You had me there." Daigo sat himself down crossing his legs and stared at her closely. They would have a long discussion ahead.

* * *

**Year 2005**

Daigo was unable to contact Maki after the reboot of the Digital World. He was extremely worried. He had lost sight of Mochizuki Meiko at the Big Sight and was hoping someone could reply him.

It was then a group of dimension travelers approached him. Daigo almost dropped his phone at the group. Almost all were wearing goggles. They were the leaders of their own team of Chosen Children or Tamers or Warriors or Hunters or whatever they called themselves. They would fill in the missing gap for the upcoming battle 1999 team of Chosen Children were going to face.

Daigo brought them to the Agency HQ. As he had just hidden Yamato and his friends in the High School, it was not convenient to have these travelers around them with the risk of information leak.

"They have not encountered Apocalymon but Meicoomon had his data embedded in her data." The leader of the leaders, Kudo Taiki shared some information with Daigo. The group had Daigo ordered dinner for them. They would talk over dinner.

"Please don't worry. We will assist Ishida Yamato and his team to hunt Meicoomon to save the world." His friend, Akashi Tagiru patting Daigo's shoulder repeatedly getting himself pumped up for the battle.

"As for you, stay here and survive." The only leader who looked extremely smug without a goggle with auburn hair said to him with a dark look. Daigo sweatdropped as he looked as if he was going to beat him up anytime. They seemed to know more than he did.

"You know I can always call for reinforcement if you try anything, Daimon Masaru." Daigo would not hesitate to deal with these strangers who did not belong here. Their Digimon were going to finish all his snacks supply for the month. The Digimon were really hungry.

"That's enough. We're not here to disrupt this dimension." Tamer, Matsuda Takato was trying to get them appeased.

As for the one without a Digimon partner, Kanbara Takuya was typing away on his phone.

"Motomiya and his team are really trapped in the Digital World." Takuya reported to all. Taiki pinched his chin in thought. Daigo raised his eyebrow. They found that out.

Daigo was ordered by Himekawa Maki to control and hide the fact that Daisuke, Ken, Miyako and Iori were missing.

"Are you guys intending to change the events of this dimension? Do you know what is going to happen?" There were a lot going through Daigo's mind.

Meno-chan had her bond with her partner cut off three years ago. Hime-chan was missing. He did not know if she managed to regain the bond she had lost with Bakumon. Partner Digimon could at times save people, but could also drive them mad. He could not help but to ask them.

"Yes, you're going to die if you don't stay put here." Masaru did not hesitate to answer. "We'll like to see if you'll be able to escape this destiny of yours. After all you don't have a reason to sacrifice yourself."

Daigo stood up all the sudden slamming his hands on the table, his eyes widened in shock. He was going to die? Why would he believe them?

"Daimon-san!" Taiki tried to cut him off. It was obvious he had said too much.

"Can you tell me how?" Daigo managed to regain control of himself. Since the possibility had been revealed, they could tell him more right? Taiki thought a while and decided he would share a bit more. Besides, he might escape his fate if that boy had not appeared in this dimension.

"The person you will give your life for hasn't appeared in this dimension." Taiki revealed lowering his tone.

"He is supposed to appear by now, but for some reason he hadn't." Takuya added.

"We have searched the hospitals in Odaiba for him." Takato said. "He should be incapacitated at this moment if Daisuke-san is the one with the dimension gate key."

"But we can't find him even after stalking his sister and her parents." Tagiru stated his observation.

* * *

He was driving on the way home, Daigo struggled to digest the information he had received from the travelers.

Daigo encountered a teenager who was in Tsukishima Sogo High School uniform, his shirt was untucked. He was crossing the road ignoring the traffic light signal. He jammed braked his vehicle to avoid knocking him down. Daigo stopped his vehicle at the side of the road and alighted.

The boy kept walking down the road. He had a huge brown hair that really stood out. Daigo had no impression that he was a student of the High School he was a teacher in especially he had such a unique hairstyle. Even though it was summer holidays, a good boy should not be out this late.

"Hey, you!" Daigo shouted at the boy. The boy ignored his call and kept walking. He was distraught about something. Daigo decided he could not leave him alone and ran after him. He caught him by his shoulder.

"Hey!" Daigo finally caught the boy's attention as the boy's shoulder stiffened by his touch. Daigo could feel that the boy was trembling. The boy paused a while and turned to face him. Daigo recognized him from the database.

"You are…" Daigo's eyes widened at his discovery. He really came back from the reboot. Daigo grabbed the boy by his collar. He was fuming with anger and he really would like to take it out on him. Because of him, his partner could not be freed.

"Nishijima-sensei." The boy called him by his family name. He was not supposed to know him. Daigo wanted to ask him more questions when he said to him with a peaceful smile, "We may not be able to change our fate, but we will be able to change our destiny. As long we keep the light in our hearts and hold the power to realise our dreams, a miracle will happen."

Daigo noticed a crest he was wearing over his wrist, it was glowing in gold. That was the Crest of Miracle.

"Wait, what're you…" Daigo found himself frozen being engulfed by the light and he jumped up from his desk. He realized, he was still in the office with the dimension travelers and their Partner Digimon sprawling around, calling it for the day.

Daigo's warm memory of Bearmon flashed across his mind. Was that boy supposed to be reconfigured before the reboot according to their words? Daigo reached for his vibrating phone in his coat pocket and answered the call.

It was Menoa.

"A boy was found unconscious along the coast in Odaiba."

* * *

Daigo finally found the boy with huge brown hair, the boy with the Crest of Courage he had been looking for, Yagami Taichi. He was not dreaming. He watched the boy who was wheeled into the ambulance. Finally, Daigo would be able to release the seal on Bearmon or rather Baihumon, the form his partner was in now.

It was a shame that Baihumon would not be able to remember him.

"Nishijima-senpai, what do you plan to do?"

"Accomplish what I failed to do as the leader of the Chosen Children." Nishijima Daigo held his orange framed goggles he had hidden away for years tightly in his grasp.

"Someone said this to me, 'We may not be able to change our fate, but we will be able to change our destiny!' I decided to give it a shot, Meno-chan." Nishijima Daigo declared, his eyes filled with hope.

"He? Who is he?"

"Someone who will bring us miracles."

* * *

Daigo was surprised to see Mochizuki Meiko after Menoa left. She snuck out from the school when the rest were asleep.

"Yagami-kun had been found, isn't it?" Meiko was extremely calm with what was happening and that surprised Daigo.

She shared with Daigo her memories of Taichi of various dimensions including one he was with her in the school currently at this moment, raising his voice at her.

"Why must Yagami-kun like Mei-chan, have to suffer so much? Someone said Mei-chan shouldn't have been born. As for Yagami-kun, someone said he shouldn't even exist. I had memories of him dying or incapacitated at the age of 14. There's a prophecy going round the time and space that he'll never live past the age of 19. I have to find the source to save Yagami-kun."

Mochizuki Meiko was special. She had memories from various dimensions which the events might not fit from what she remembered. She would not make a good witness and could be misunderstood as someone who liked to make up stories. Hence, she tends to keep things to herself.

He found another purpose in life as well after hearing what the traveler had shared with him regarding Taichi's fate. If the travelers could warn him to save himself from his fate of dying, he should be able to save Taichi as well. Keep him alive at least past his adult age.

And Daigo proceed to work out the details of the operations that night to guide the Chosen Children and hopefully avert the dire fate and create another new future.

* * *

On the fated day Daigo was said he would die, he visited Taichi in the hospital early in the morning. Taichi was still in slumber. His face was devoid of colour and his face were covered with the oxygen mask. The doctor said it would take him some time to recover and regain his consciousness. Daigo pulled the boy up by the collar of his hospital gown. His expression was unreadable.

"Wake up! Because of you I can never see my partner again!" Daigo was really worked up. Time was running out for him and he could never fulfill his wish to see Bearmon again. He released Taichi and allowed his unconscious body to fall back to bed upon realising what he had done. He realised he was no better than Hime-chan who was obsessed with reviving Bakumon just to regain her bond with him. He missed his partner.

It was likely that Taichi would not remember anything and he had to live with it as a consequence from the reboot. He used to resent the boy for causing his and his partner pain but when he saw Taichi in his current condition, he just could not bring himself to hate him. The boy had it hard too.

" _I just want all of you to be happy. Why is it so hard?"_ Daigo held Taichi's hand to his forehead and cried. Daigo did not notice, a drop of tear trickled at the corner of Taichi's eyes.

When Daigo was about to place Taichi's hand back under the blanket, he spotted something on Taichi's arms. Daigo pulled down the sleeve of Taichi's hospital gown and his eyes widened in shock at the condition of his arm. There were various black and blue which resembled needles wounds. They seemed to be inflicted not long ago but it didn't seem to be caused by his current stay in hospital. Someone must have done something to him before he was found as some time had passed between the reboot and the time he was found.

His phone rang and Daigo answered after placing Taichi's hand on the bed and covered it with the blanket. It was a call that came from the Chief of the Incorporated Administrative Agency. The elusive person had actually called him, a middle grade officer directly in person and that caught him off guard. He even introduced himself.

Daigo turned his head quickly to steal a glance of Taichi's sleeping figure.

"Don't you mess with me!" Daigo was really peeved now.

Daigo heard the other boy had escaped and disappeared. Just what had happened to them? It just hit Daigo that there was a scheme going on behind his back and they knew he was also plotting something. He stomped his feet in fury. Was there nothing else he could do to save the Children? Time had ran out for him.

"Until Yagami Taichi can lift Baihumon's seal, I can't let him die. Even if I can no longer see my partner again."

* * *

Daigo joined Yamato and the rest in the battle with Alphamon, Jesmon and Meicrackmon and followed them to the Digital World. He was determined to see through this as long as he could.

And he ended up bleeding out in the underground lab after the ground beneath him collapsed. He was sorry Yamato and the rest would have to bear the survivor guilt when he shove him and Meiko away from danger in the nick of time.

Footsteps was heard. Someone held up his phone with the flashlight on and found him. Daigo smiled weakly to greet the dimension traveler, the High School student he saw in his dream, Yagami Taichi.

"Sensei?" Taichi exclaimed seeing his teacher drenched by his own blood.

He was relieved when he saw the crest he was wearing as a bracelet. Even though it was not the one he was looking for, he was assured that this battle would turn out alright. The boy who would bring them miracle had actually arrived in this dimension.

"Daisuke, everyone!" Taichi was shocked to see Daisuke, Ken, Miyako and Iori imprisoned in the capsules. It was a lab Yggdrasil held them captive. Daigo got himself to a chair with his remaining strength to activate the lab. The event was flowing just the way the Chief had told him that morning.

Daigo stole a glance at Taichi's figure and his mind was in turmoil when a voice interrupted them.

"He who fight monsters should be careful that he does not become a monster himself."

"Here he comes." Daigo thought to himself turning the chair a little to get a view. Gennai look-alike appeared before them at the door.

"If you gaze long an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you." The man flicked his finger to stop the life support system. Daigo's heart pounded hard. He knew what to expect but it was hard when he was going through this for real. There was not even a drill.

"If you want to save them, just send them to the Real World. But, as soon as you do that, this place will go boom."

"Your seats had been prepared thanks to the merciful Yggdrasil-sama." Daigo could almost recite along the Chief as he narrated to him what would happen. "There was only one seat…" Daigo resigned to his fate.

"Learn how helpless you humans are! Face it! None of you can do anything without Digimons!" They were just clowns basking in reflected glory. Daigo scoffed at the words he spoke of. There was not even a slight change of grammar.

"Now show me you pathetic last struggling cries, Chosen brats!" Dark Gennai said with a twisted expression. "Take that human!" Gennai waved and sizzled off disappearing from their view. Taichi and Daigo watched helplessly.

"There had got to be something! Has to be." Taichi took off to a seat across and typed away. Daigo stood up. He had decided.

"Yagami!" Daigo called out.

"There has to be a way to save everyone!" Taichi tried to convince himself and the door to the capsules opened. Taichi ran in.

"Check the transfer device! If we can transport to the Real World, we might be able to communicate through it!" Daigo gave the instruction. He intended to get Taichi into the only capsule.

No two Taichi can exist in the same dimension, Daigo realized in horror. This Taichi would disappear since their Taichi had returned. He could not possibly send him to the Real World. Daigo stared up at Taichi who ran into a capsule as instructed. Daigo's finger hovered on the transfer button in fear. Daigo realized how helpless he really was. He felt life leaving him as he was losing blood quickly.

"There is no need for any more tragedy." Tears welled up Daigo's eyes. No wonder the Chief warned him against charging to his death. He was indeed a dimension traveler who had been through the same event. For his case, there was no doubt that he would survive. But this time, does Taichi know he was not in his own dimension?

Time was running out. Daigo shut his eyes tight and decided to press the button to close the door to the capsule. If he was indeed the boy of miracle, he would survive.

However, things did not work in his favour. Taichi was standing before him when he was about to press the button.

"What're you doing here, Yagami? Get back in!" Daigo cried out in horror. Taichi's eyes fell on the pool of blood formed around Daigo. Taichi looked eerily calm as he proceed to pull his arms over his shoulder.

"Did sensei think I'm going to leave you alone?" Taichi asked. Daigo could not see his facial expression as the boy looked away and carried him carefully.

"Yagami, don't. You should go." Daigo retorted tugging the boy weakly begging him to let go of him.

"I'm not going to fall for this again." Taichi explained as he helped Daigo to the capsule and sat him in the seat and buckled him.

"Are you coming in with me?" Daigo gazed up to the boy. His vision was blurring from the loss of blood. All he could see was a figure in white shirt.

"I'm sorry, Sensei. I can't go where you came from." Daigo could hear fast fading footsteps as the door was heard shut airtight.

"Yagami… don't…" Daigo realised this Taichi knew what was going to happen but was only playing along with him earlier. Daigo's heart thumped hard but he was already too weak to move. He grabbed his blood-stained coat and he was having breathing difficulties from all the blood loss. The timer for the transfer had began its countdown.

"This time I'm finally one-step ahead of you, Sensei. Sensei still have something to do until the end. You told me this before, the future will continue and become connected." Daigo could barely hear him as he was drifting in and out of consciousnesses. He found tears welling up his eyes anyway. It was exactly what the Chief said he had told him in his time.

" _I'll pass it on to you. Our grown-up hope. No matter how hard reality is up ahead, don't ever give up. You guys go build the future. Dream big!"_ The voice of the Chief ranged in his mind in sadness. They really had the same voice Daigo vaguely thought to himself.

"No... Ya..gami..." Daigo closed his eyes, losing his consciousness rapidly as the countdown hit zero.

"Sensei, dream big!" That was the last words he heard as fell into the abyss of darkness.

* * *

**Year 2010**

Time passed by. Daigo was sitting on a wheelchair outside a cottage somewhere in the rural area in the States. He was now wearing glasses and grew slightly more mature with his hair trimmed to slightly shorter. He was looking at the scenery around him as he felt cool breeze blowing past his face.

This was how a life of retirement should be like. Daigo had hidden his identity away pretending he was caught in the hit and run and lost his memory. He decided to go under the radar. Not even the Agency should know he survived. It took him a few years to finally recover and moved away from Japan. He was paralysed waist down but he felt it was a small price to pay. Living with survivor's guilt like Ishida or Mochizuki had to be harder and he felt them.

Daigo raised up a crest which was frozen and looked empty. He did not know if this was a crest Taichi was wearing and he gave it to him. It was found with him after he woke up from his injury. He was never able to learn what happened to that Taichi after that. Daigo clutched the crest and allowed his emotion to flow. The crest started to glow when he felt a presence before him. A blonde Caucasian young man was standing before him.

"You must be Mr. Nishijima Daigo." The young man greeted him. Daigo was surprised he knew his name. Daigo then noticed two playful Digimons with long and huge ears raced and stop beside the young man. He was a Chosen Child.

"I had been wanting to meet you. My name is Wallace. They called me a veteran Chosen Child for being one far longer than most of them. But, Mr. Nishijima was a Chosen Child for even longer than me. " The young man named Wallace exclaimed in excitement.

It was then a truck arrived with a few more young men alighting before Daigo's entrance.

"Nishijima-sensei!" Daigo raised his head upon hearing a familiar Japanese voice. He saw an orange head, Izumi Koushirou ran towards his direction alighting from the passenger seat with his partner Tentomon flying beside him.

Daigo's eyes widened when he saw the driver. The driver had also alighted removing his sunglasses after shutting down the engine. He was tanned, with sparkling white teeth, and he had a pleasant smile. He was the boy who was said to have escaped when he was found with Taichi after the reboot, Akiyama Ryo.

They were here to prepare for the final fight with Daigo who had been planning five years ago.

"The gate is open. There will be a change in the possibilities this dimension can have." Akiyama Ryo nodded his head hinting Daigo to take a look at the crest he had on hand.

Daigo gasped when he realized that the crest had revealed its emblem. It bore a symbol of a sun.

It was the Crest of Courage he had been searching high and low for years. With that, he could finally release his partner from the final seal. Daigo broke down in tears.

" _Partner Digimon could at times save people but could also drive them mad."_

To Daigo, it meant hope.

" _Sensei, dream big!"_


	16. Side: Sora

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sora had been observing and watching over Yamato and the rest. After hearing what happened to Koushirou and some other Chosen Children, she realised that as Chosen Children, there are just some responsibilities they can never escape. Can't they just lead a their lives normally?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: I'm not sure if I should post Sora first. Eventually I had to write her. I had this theory that Sora's consciousness was not taken by Eosmon because of Yamato. Yamato gave her the same advice which he did for Taichi and Koushirou and so she escaped.
> 
> Digimon is not mine.

**Year 2005**

Whenever Sora saw Mochizuki Meiko, she always had a lot in her mind. She did not seem to be living in the present, that was how she would describe her.

When Meiko first transferred to her High School and to her class, she was seen to be looking at the empty desk behind Sora when she introduced herself.

During lessons, Meiko-chan would be seen looking out of the window, or rather her gaze always fell on the empty desk beside her with a lot on her mind. Sora wondered if Meiko-chan could ask their homeroom teacher, Nishijima-sensei to arrange for her to sit there if she preferred that desk.

Come to think of it, Nishijima-sensei somehow would leave that desk empty even if there were still new student onboard. When she asked him once out of curiosity, Nishijima-sensei would just shrugged and joked that he would grant that seat to his favourite student and asked them to work hard to become one. Well, as far as Sora knew, Nishijima-sensei was never seen close to any one of students.

Meiko and Hikari had gotten closer as she was staying near her and they were fellow Chosen Children. Even so, Sora still found it weird that Meiko would peek on Hikari. Once, Sora decided to visit Meiko and she noticed how she would stand outside the apartment Hikari and her family were staying in. It just happened that Hikari was talking to her mother and helping her with her groceries. Hikari brought an umbrella to her mother who was caught in the rain. Meiko was watching so attentively that people who did not know better would have thought she was some kind of stalker longing for Hikari and her mother's attention.

After the incident with Ordinemon, Meiko was depressed. Sora would visit her often to keep her company to help her feel better like she did back then. Meiko actually made a decision to kill Meicoomon. It was inconceivable to her. She always believed that they were hope to one another. Yet Meiko's answer to hope had to turn out this way.

_"We and our partner Digimon are exceptional. We're always connected, no matter what happens. That's what I believe. It's okay to cry. That's why I came."_

Meiko's mother was welcoming. Her daughter was currently in her room. Sora was about to knock on her door when she heard laughter from her room. Sora knew it was not right but she could not help but to peek on her.

Meiko was on the line with someone and Agumon was sitting right next to her. She was smiling, blushing and even burst into laughter, so happy that Sora would smile along with her. Sora thought it would take a long time for her to get over what had happened but she was really glad that someone managed to get her smile so soon.

* * *

"What? Mei-mei laughed?" Mimi choked on her frappé. Sora decided to cut short her visit to Meiko in order not to interrupt her. Besides Agumon was with her, she would be okay on her own. Hence, Sora met up with Mimi for a shopping trip.

Looking across Tokyo Bay, it seemed yesterday when Ordinemon descended from the darkness and destroyed some of the landscape. Odaiba was on the way to its recovery.

"Incorporated Administrative Agency had covered this up using major earthquake plus tsunami as the reason." Mimi complained in dismay. They needed justice done to their partner Digimon who saved the day. They would end up discriminated if this continued.

"By the way, have you visited Miyako-chan and the rest?" Mimi asked. Sora nodded. They rejected their visits though. They agreed it would take them some time to get over their ordeal. Other than Agumon who was accompanying Meiko, they had sent their Digimon back to the Digital World to search for V-mon and the rest and hopefully bring them back to their partners.

"Jou-senpai called it, Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It took Mimi-sama only 5 minutes to remember. Koushirou was too much to even comment about that." Mimi said raising her fork. They were sharing ice-cream waffles.

"Koushirou is being Koushirou. He is being observant to Mimi-chan. Have you give a thought about him?" Sora popped the question. She heard from Takeru-kun about Koushirou and his crush. She really could not imagine Koushirou to actually have sense to have a crush on a girl. He seemed to be too focused working on his research or laptop and he did not hesitate to comment about her if he thought she did wrong. She did not expect him to have a crush on Mimi of all girls. It would be a tough wall to overcome.

"Koushirou is really awesome. There is nothing he can't do. He and I will be best friend forever." Mimi said. She was aware of Koushirou's feeling. Even Jou-senpai noticed. He was not lying that he had a girlfriend if he could sense his feeling for her to such extent. Mimi did not want to commit if she would be disappointing him. If she wanted to get into a relationship, she had some criteria and Koushirou would not fit.

"Stop talking about me, tell me about you and Yamato-san!" Mimi changed the subjecting pushing the question back to her.

"What?" It was Sora's turn to choke on her drink. It was open knowledge that Yamato and Sora got together during Christmas Eve three years ago. She was surprised herself when she decided to bake cookies and confessed to him. It was as though she had a push to do so and she did. Sora was expecting Yamato who was popular with girls to reject her but was really shocked that he accepted her cookies.

Since then, Yamato was like a family to her. Although she would confide certain things to him, some times boys just would not understand. Yamato, on the other hand, he would keep certain things from her. Nevertheless, she had Takeru who would offer to keep tabs on him. Takeru could be mischievous at times. He also grew up with his look which made him attractive to girls like his elder brother. Girls tend to prefer mischievous boys. Sora would count on Takeru to take care of Yamato's well-being. Yamato who was not very good with communication with her would care about her in his own way.

* * *

**Year 2010**

Sora hugged Piyomon while looking out of the window. It was a rainy night. She was aware Yamato was in battle. He respected her decision not to participate in Digimon battle again. He was using his method to keep her safe.

Yamato called her and told her to switch off her smart phone given by Koushirou. She did not know why but she followed his instruction.

She got a feeling that Yamato still had something to say to her before he hung up but he stopped halfway. Sora understood him. He would tell her if he was ready.

"Sora, I'll make it in time this time. I promise, I'll save everyone." Yamato sounded desperate.

"Yamato, I believe in you." She traced her finger on the rain droplets that fell on her window. Yamato needed her encouragement and she gave it to him. She looked at her Digivice which was counting down and hugged Piyomon in tears. She was sorry.

That day both of them lost their Partner Digimon. Sora finally understood how awful Meiko must be feeling when she first lost Meicoomon and now even Agumon left her too. For her case, it was on her for the decision she made to move on with her life as Takenouchi Sora, not as a Chosen Child.

* * *

Takeru was nice. He came by to see her knowing she would feel very sad after losing Piyomon.

"Aniki cooped himself at home. He is hurt with bandage around his head. But don't worry his injury is not serious. He'll be fine in a few days. Right now, I'll check in his place daily." Takeru waved his hands at Sora who was about to race out to see him. Takeru was trying to cheer her up but could not helped but to feel somewhat depressed.

"Losing Gabumon must be a huge blow to him." Takeru shared with Sora. Takeru hugged Patamon afraid he would be forced to separate with Patamon. They had been through that but still the same questions would still come back to haunt them.

"I had never seen Aniki that depressed before since then when Taichi-san, he…" Takeru admitted and struggled not to cry unable to say further. He was referring to the day they returned from the Digital World after saving the world for the very first time.

Yamato was staring at his hands in huge shock. Both his arms and his jeans was still covered with so much blood that was not his. Yamato felt he would never be able to wash them off. It was not just Sora who needed comfort, Takeru needed to confide in someone just as much.

"If it's Taichi, he would be just as depressed if he knew what happened to Agumon. Right now, Agumon must be in peace having reunited with him." Sora said looking out the window as a bird flew past.

" _The sky is vast, because it was probably made to fly freely. If you're worried to fly on your own, I'll be there to fly with you together. Because I'm your partner, Sora."_

Sora felt peaceful as she looked up to the sky.

* * *

The next time she met up with Yamato, he was drenched from the rain standing by the door. He was utterly drained, his face devoid of any expression. Sora realized.

"Koushirou, he…" Yamato had to break the news to her. They had the right to know even if they were no longer Chosen Children. Koushirou was their friend. Sora pulled Yamato into a hug.

_"I think it was destiny that we became Chosen Children but I don't think it's fate."_

They were finally torn and broken. It was fate that they became the Chosen Children and they were never be able to run from destiny. Taichi died because he was a Chosen Child, Nishijima-sensei and Himekawa-san died because they were Chosen Children and now Koushirou died because he was a Chosen Child. They were just plain lucky they were still around and lost their status as Chosen Children and they had to live with that.

"Just why must they go through all these? Can't they live on as normal people? Just because they are the only ones who can do it?" The more Sora sees, the more she could not understand. Both Taichi and Koushirou were her childhood friends who played soccer with her back when they were in elementary. It was very hard for her to accept not being to see them ever again.

"I'm so sorry." Sora cried softly with her face brushing through his hair.

* * *

The Incorporated Administrative Agency had appeared in news increasingly. Even though Sora no longer get involved, she was aware things were not simple when she was alerted by Yamato to check the chatgroup. Daisuke had sent the video to all Chosen Children's chatgroup and posted in the Digimon Community Forum.

They referred the Digimon incidents as 'Extraordinary Electronic Disaster'. They had cooperated with the Self-Dense Force in developing weapon to deal with these incidents. They demonstrated their weapons and how they subdued Digimon that came to the Real World.

Sora flinched when she heard a baby Digimon cried in a net they had newly developed which regressed a Child Digimon back to its baby level. That was a level up from the Dark Tower technology created by Digimon Kaiser and Oikawa Yukio. That was a partner Digimon, Yukimibotamon she realized. A girl was trying to stop her Digimon from being taken.

"Keiko-chan!" Sora recognized the gentle girl in brown hair with a partial ponytail. She was one of those with dark seed.

A force appeared and slashed at her. Sora shut her eyes. Sound of a string snapping was heard as Sora slowly opened her eyes. Her D-3 was broken and her Digimon dissipated.

"From this point onwards, we, the Incorporated Administrative Agency will handle and manage all Digimon incidents. All Digimon that causes harm to the Real World should be annihilated without fail. Any Chosen Child who is not contributing to defense of the Real World from 'Extraordinary Electronic Disaster' will be strip off their status just like her!" An agent in full office suit declared.

Sora felt suffocated when she saw the video. It was then her phone rang. Yamato called back.

"What do we do now, Yamato? " Sora asked her voice trembled. More Chosen Children who would not participate in battles would end up like her. Yamato was quiet. He must be thinking hard. They were lucky they escaped for losing their partners.

"Remember how Himekawa-san from the Agency used us to trigger a reboot. She lied to us about Daisuke and the others." Yamato said after a moment of silence.

"Sora might not know this. Professor Menoa Belucci used us and Koushirou to get the complete list of Chosen Children from his database. She created a Digimon on her own declaring that she is the saviour to all Chosen Children. She was also from the Agency." Yamato sounded really pissed when he talked about her. She must have done something unforgivable.

"She…she…" Yamato sounded as though he was going to burst any second.

"Yamato, it's alright." Sora coaxed with a gentle voice. If he was right in front of Sora, she would give him a hug.

"Even Koushirou was… because of her…"

"Yamato, it's alright." Sora coaxed with a gentle voice. If he was right in front of Sora, she would give him a hug.

"Sora, I…" It was not clear but Sora knew he was sobbing. She waited for him silently before he started talking again.

"We have to prove the Agency wrong before Homeostasis interfere." Yamato finally said. "Homeostasis who desire harmony will surely interfere. By then…"

"Homeostasis will certainly trigger a reboot to the Real World." Yamato finished. This was what the enemy behind the Agency was aiming for. A Real World totally cut off from the Digital World.

"A world where there is no meeting, there will be no heartbreak when they are forced to separate." Sora read and concluded.

* * *

***24 December 2010***

"I heard from Jou-senpai both Mimi and Meiko were rejected by a guy they confessed to. Both of them made cookies for him." Takeru could not help but to share with Sora. He still preferred to pop over to Sora's place rather than calling her. Sora had to make sure her mother was not at home.

"By the same guy?" Sora asked just to be sure. Takeru nodded with a facepalm. "I can't believe it. Can't imagine how Koushirou would feel if he learnt about this."

"Koushirou?" Sora whispered the name sadly. Takeru was aware Koushirou's name was a taboo.

"Regarding Koushirou-san, Sora-san, I haven't share with you this. Remember Wallace? He invested in Koushirou's business. He was the one hired Koushirou for internship and the one who lent his office to Koushirou five years ago. Now Koushirou's travelling with Wallace in the States." Takeru shared excitedly. "Wallace is a rich guy. I'm wondering how come he is not attending schools at all."

"Koushirou, he's alive?" Sora could not believe her ears. She had not been in touch with everyone lately even though Mimi called up some times. Even Mimi seemed to be busy helping out to deal with Digimon incidents. She would be staying in Japan for the time being.

"He sent me a photo." Takeru showed Sora a photo of Koushirou and Tentomon posing before "Summer Memory" board in Colorado with his phone.

"Remember those time we raced to get to Summer Memory in order to save everybody." Patamon said. "It was really one hell of an adventure. I'm glad we managed to save Wallace's Chocomon." Takeru agreed patting Patamon's head. Patamon was giggling from his tickles.

"Even Meicoomon came back." Takeru said noted Meiko and Wallace's similarity. What he didn't expect was Sora's reaction. He heard from Yamato she was calmer than he was when he heard about Koushirou's 'death' but now she burst into tears like a childish little girl.

"I can't help it, Takeru. Does Yamato know?" Sora wiped her tears off and asked. She was really really glad.

"Yes, he knows. He has the right to know. Aniki is looking after Koushirou's office assisting us in dealing with Digimon incidents. He said even though he can no longer fight in the frontline, he can still fight with us this way as support." Takeru was also happy that his brother had finally pulled himself together.

"Sora-san should go and see Aniki some times." Takeru urged. "Patamon and I will work hard to support Daisuke-kun and Iori-kun and we probably have less time for him. Aniki will be so jealous of them." Takeru fed Patamon with cookies. He did not sound serious but he was serious.

"Alright. I'll bake some cakes." Sora decided feeling all pumped up. "When Koushirou comes back, let's have a reunion party. Mimi-chan will certainly like that. I'll create a chance for Koushirou-kun and Mimi-chan."

"That's great!" Takeru sounded excited. "I'll make sure all of them come to the party after things settled down." Takeru stood up. Takeru's eyes were filled with determination.

"We're determined to win this no matter what it takes." Sora could sense the air tensing around her.

"I believe in you, Takeru-kun. Yamato and I will wait for all of you to come back together." Sora felt a little emotional when she said that.

"Come to think of it, who is the guy that broke Mimi-chan and Meiko-chan's heart? I'll give him a lecture on their behalf." Sora said her hands on her waist like a mother. She would protect her friends.

"Even Hikari "fell" for him." Takeru pretended to sob. Sora frowned. Just who had such a charm to attract all her female friends to him. Even someone like Takeru who was popular with girls was put at a disadvantage.

"This is why I come here ask you and Aniki out. He asked to see both of you." Takeru said with a huge smile.

"He'll be a boost to our motivation if you and Aniki can work with him."

* * *

And so Yamato picked Sora up with his bike. This day was the anniversary they got together. To think they would start their date with a trip to the hospital. They were quiet throughout their trip. Sora felt Yamato flinched when she hugged him from his back. She could feel he was getting emotional for some reason.

They arrived came to the hospital Jou was having his internship in. Takeru did not join them as they needed to act discreetly in order not to gain attention from the Agency.

"Room 801." Yamato registered for both of them. Yamato paused in his step when the lift door opened. He seemed to be afraid.

"Yamato?" Sora tried to comfort him.

"Ah, Yamato-kun and Sora-kun is here." Jou greeted interrupting their moment.

"Jou-senpai, it had been a while." Sora greeted in return tugging Yamato on the sleeve of his leather jacket to do the same with a stern look.

"Yamato-kun, you heard from Takeru-kun, right? I know you're mad at us but this is not the time. The more people learn about this, the more danger he'll be exposed to." Sora was curious now.

"Sora-kun, please watch him. I don't want any casualty because of his emotion. " Jou said folding his arms. He was serious about it. Sora tugged Yamato on his sleeves. Yamato nodded reluctantly.

"He's now in the balcony. Be mindful of your emotion, both of you hear me?"

Sora noticed tears trickled at the corner of Yamato's eyes on the way to the room. Yamato was actually happy she realized. The corner of his mouth was tilted upwards. It was like a huge rock off his shoulder. His feet was gaining speed as they got closer to the room.

They arrived to the room to be greeted by the empty bed. Yamato was anxious. He was about race out when Sora poked on his shoulder.

"Yamato, balcony." Sora reminded Yamato. She spotted a figure behind the curtain in the balcony. The person who asked to see them seemed to sense their presence as he seemed to flinch upon hearing her voice. He was on a wheelchair she noticed. Yamato stepped in slowly in front of her. Sora felt there was a whirlpool of emotion going on between them.

"You're here, Yamato, Sora." The new voice sounded weak. It came from the person behind the curtain. Sora found his voice soothing. According to Takeru, he was a Chosen Child who had lost his partner Digimon like them. He was influential enough that even Takeru seemed motivated to talk about him despite hearing how the girls were attracted to him.

Sora tried to catch her breath as Yamato approached him.

"Taichi." Yamato's voice ranged. Sora gasped at the name. The young man on the wheelchair wheeled himself around to face them. Sora could never overlook the huge and messy hair of his.

"Taichi!" Sora shoved Yamato aside and squatted before his wheelchair. Yamato was caught in surprise as he almost tripped.

Sora could not believe it. It was her childhood best friend. He was right in front of her well and alive. He was hooked to an IV, his nose was connected with some tube to help him breathe. Although he looked thinner than he should, he was all grown up just like them. Sora brushed his hair and caressed his face to check if he was real.

"Taichi." Tears welled up her eyes as she pulled him into a hug and cried out loud. She should have known better after hearing the word "Reboot". If the enemies could be brought back from the reboot, their friend could be reconfigured too.

"I'm so sorry." Sora cried harder. She regretted for falling into the dark cave wasting much more time for Yamato and Jou to snap her out of it. So much so that they did not make it back to him on time.

Taichi closed his eyes gently, patting her back allowing her to cry. Yamato shrugged at him as Taichi stole a glance at him just to be sure he would not be punched for it. He knew about them. That was Yamato's girlfriend he had on his arms.

"Jou, you're looking smug." Gomamon who arrived to join him teased. Jou was grinning at the door witnessing the touching reunion. After all, he was one of the first to find him.

Taichi said he was surprised he did not receive a punch or a slap from either of them.

* * *

"You remembered us?" Yamato wanted to confirm. He could not possibly remembered them since he came back from a reboot. His memories should be wiped off. Previously, before he flatlined and Yamato was made to think he died, he did not remember any of them. Taichi nodded as Jou helped him back on his bed.

"I woke up and I remembered." Taichi raised his hand over his forehead. "You guys are older than when I last saw you all." Yamato seemed to take it as an insult.

"You little…" Yamato tried to control his anger being reminded by Jou's words. Taichi covered his eyes with the back of his hand. He was actually mocking at himself.

"It's okay, Taichi, you can tell us more when you feel better." Sora brushed his hair gently. Tears were seen welling up his eyes. He was struggling to stay awake.

"Sora was always comforting me this way when I'm in pain." Taichi nuzzled her hand with his head in return. His voice trailed off. His hand which was on his eyes fell on his chest and he fell unconscious. Yamato wanted to call for help when Jou place his finger over his lip signaling them to keep quiet.

"It's okay. He had fallen asleep." Jou covered him with the blanket. It was already a huge progress that he was awake since morning. They would talk outside.

Sora almost going to cry when Jou shared about his ailing condition to them. Was there really no hope for recovery at all? Not just that, according to what he and Mimi knew from Mochizuki, some unknown force was also targeting his life if they learnt of his existence. Yamato was trying not to lose it himself. Just what was it about Taichi this threatening that they need to get rid of him.

"At my end, Gomamon and I are going to give it all to fight and protect him. How about both of you?" Yamato and Sora glanced at one another and nodded in unison.

On the anniversary when Sora and Yamato got together, they found out that their friend Koushirou had survived and they were reunited with Taichi. Against all odds, they were going to fight his destiny with him.


	17. Side: Ken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ken became a Chosen Child without a previous encounter and he was targeted. Ken lost his memory as a Chosen child as a result. It did not sit well with him. Reunion with Miyako and the rest led him to look into this further. The name Taichi piqued him enough to want to meet him with a surprising revelation by Taichi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Read a number of fanfics rather powerful description while it's rather hard for me to describe things. I just have to write to let out my plot bunnies.
> 
> Digimon belongs to Toei.

Stingmon and Ken were engaged in the battle with the mysterious Digimon which reminded them of Eosmon. Ken was watching his surrounding in case of any innocent bystanders getting caught up in their battles.

"Stingmon, let's lure him to open area in the park." It was late at night and he was in Tamachi. Even if he requested for reinforcement, it would still take Daisuke some time to reach him.

An explosion occurred. The firepower difference between this Digimon and Stingmon was too great.

"Is he at Ultimate level?" Stingmon asked. Ken was tapping on his phone for any possible information of the weakness to this Digimon but there was nothing.

"Your bond with your partner doesn't belong here… I have to cut it off." The Digimon that called himself Heliosmon spoke up as smoke was fuming in his mouth. The Digimon extended his claw and aimed for Ken.

"Ken!" Stingmon blocked the attack with bare hands and ended up crashing on the slide of the playground.

"Stingmon. Surrender, and all these pains would soon be a thing of the past. There'll be no more pain and heartbreak when both of you are forced to separate." The Digimon said, his claw still advancing pinning Stingmon down. Stingmon reverted to Wormmon unable to withstand its power and Wormmon fell unconscious.

"Wormmon!" Ken yelled. Was there nothing else he could do? He would not want to give up without a fight. Not when he had come this far with Daisuke and the rest. He was not going to lose his bond with Wormmon.

"And you'll surrender." The Digimon released Wormmon and jumped on Ken in a flash pinning the boy down by his neck. The invisible chain which resembled DNA strand that was connected from his D-3 and Wormmon appeared. The Digimon grinned. He won.

"Stop!" Ken cried as the Digimon was about to cut off the chain.

Another Digimon showed himself and gave the Digimon a kick on his face. Heliosmon had no choice but to release Ken from his grip.

"You don't belong here." Heliosmon cursed recognizing the Digimon wearing a red muffler appearing in the air before him.

"EH? You know about that?" Justimon pretended to be surprised. He was aware what he was made of and he needed to be wary.

Ken ran over to cradle his unconscious partner while the two Digimon were engaged in their conversation. He was indecisive if he should make a run for it but what if both Digimon were up to no good?

Justimon raised his arm to defend Ken hinting him to run. His stance felt familiar to Ken. A long past memory of a boy in blueish short and khaki long pant who stood with his back facing him defending him in that pose flashed through his mind.

"Don't tell me… Ryo-san." Ken was shocked. He did not see Ryo anywhere.

"I'm Justimon. Just a human who did an evolution with a Digimon." Justimon sighed at the reaction of the innocent young man behind him. He was still a kind and simple boy he knew.

"But…" Ken hesitated.

"Just go. I'll be fine." Justimon assured him. Heliosmon would not give in as he charged at Justimon with an attack.

"Where are you attacking?" Justimon asked while continuing to block his sight with his body as Heliosmon totally missed. Heliosmon smirked.

"Bonds that do not belong should be eradicated. I'm freeing him from his destiny." The Digimon said coldly." Justimon turned to his back in horror to see the chain fall on Ken's D-3. Ken's scream echoed in the air as a DNA-like chain of data was pulled out of his D-3 and Wormmon who was on his arms was turned into the data and vanished into the light.

"Ken!" Justimon yelled. In a flash, Heliosmon took his D-3 and disappeared into the portal leaving Ken lying on Justimon's arms.

* * *

Ken found himself back in the Dark Ocean. He had lost again.

_A brunette man in black office suit appeared out of nowhere._

_"Did you think you can ever change your destiny?" Ken turned to face the man with the golden crest he was wearing on his wrist. He recognised the emblem as the one his Crest of Kindness had formed as a Digiegg for Daisuke._

_"Seemed that you had managed to create the miracle to overcome your destiny." Ken exclaimed in relief. Daisuke would be relieved to hear that._

_"Do you really think so?" He pulled his hand to his chest where his heart was beating and Ken screamed in horror as the man's face changed to someone even more familiar to him._

* * *

Ken woke up in his room oblivious to his surrounding. He had a bad dream. Just what was the dream about? He could not remember.

"You're awake, Ken-kun." A tanned male with spiky brown hair appeared before his eyes.

"Ryo-san?" He was an acquaintance of him. Ken had a pounding headache. He raised his hand to rub his forehead to ease the pain. But wait? How did he know Ryo? Ken tried to sit himself up but was tucked back into bed by Ryo.

"You're running a fever. Better lie down and rest." Ryo placed a towel over his head. Ken's parents were both out on a holiday leaving only him at home. Ken lie down obediently allowing Ryo to help him. He meant him no harm, right?

Ken felt nostalgic. It was as though Ryo had taken care of him like this before in the past.

A mini dragon-like Digimon popped over and took the towel from Ryo in exchange for another. That surprised Ken.

"Eh?" Ken wanted to sit up but was stopped by Ryo. He knew he was shocked by a presence of a Digimon which he probably saw from the news.

"He's my partner Digimon, Monodramon."

"Come, greet my friend Ken!"

"Ken, he's Monodramon! Shake hand!" Ryo urged.

The energetic Monodramon did not hesitate to shake Ken's hand while Ken stared in shock. He felt warmth from the Digimon. A caterpillar-like Digimon came to his mind and vanished.

Tears suddenly flowed down his eyes uncontrollably, but he did not know why. All the sudden, he felt a sense of loss. Ken broke into tears, cuddling to himself. Ryo allowed him to cry rubbing his shoulder.

Ken finally fall asleep and he had a really good rest until the day breaks. Ryo stayed at his place until he recovered.

* * *

Ken exited from his room and saw Ryo and Monodramon engaged in complicated conversation.

"What do you plan to do next, Ryo? Are we going to try breaking through the tunnel again to return to Tamers' dimension of this timeline?" Monodramon asked. Ryo folded his arms and stared at the balcony in thought.

"There's a reason why even you managed to make your way here after we had parted. We're probably needed here. I'm going to see through this to the end." Ryo said quietly patting his partner's head.

"After all, I have you who had a hand in affecting this timeline. While you're discriminated by the one who desires stability, you're still my partner and I had tamed you. Thanks to you, that Digimon can't cut us off even though I don't have a reason to become a Chosen Child too." Ryo smiled feeling hopeful for what was going to come.

"But there are more possibilities than we realized." Ryo pinched his chin in thought. His thought was interrupted by Ken's incoming footstep.

"Good morning, you're awake!" Ryo greeted the younger boy. Ken turned to the direction of the dining table and noticed that the breakfast was ready.

"He made it." Ryo pointed at his partner who was in apron and it was pink. Monodramon blushed in embarrassment and his laugh sounded forced. He was wearing Ken's mother's apron. Another sound of laughter was heard. It was Ken who burst into laughter.

Ryo and Monodramon glanced at one another and started to laugh out loud as well.

"By the way, your phone kept ringing while you were out cold. I didn't help to answer because… there's no because." Ryo returned Ken his smart phone with the cover of the Crest of Kindness. It was a copy to his lost D-3.

"Daisuke? Who's he?" Ken was confused by the long list of missed call from this person. He kept calling him.

"He's a very precious friend of yours." Ryo said.

"He seems very annoying." Ken commented reading through the lengthy messages. He was touched by the messages he sent checking up on him actually. He was really concerned about him. Ryo and Monodramon glanced at each other and shrugged.

"Take good care of this phone. It'll come in handy soon." Ryo informed Ken.

* * *

Ken went back to lectures after recovering from his illness while Ryo continued his journey with Monodramon to the States.

As expected, Motomiya Daisuke and his Partner Digimon, another Mini Dragon Digimon, V-mon kept appearing before his eyes. They were shocked to learn that he did not know them.

Ken wondered why he got involved with a fishy young man who wore a pair of sunglasses in orange frame and made himself looked really suspicious. He should really get a life and focus on his studies.

A photo of a girl in purple hair he had in his phone actually warmed him. He did not remember who she was but he felt the girl in glasses who had a bluish yellow stripped hair band, wearing a red top and black pant was close to his heart. Scrolling through his contact he had a feeling that her name was Miyako.

Ken hesitated but was surprised to see a string of messages he had exchanged with her during his break in college.

"Wormmon and Hawkmon?" Ken was sure Miyako and himself were one of the Chosen Children but his partner was nowhere to be found. It was then he received a message from the girl in his mind. She was coming back from Spain and she wanted to meet him in the airport.

* * *

Miyako had returned from Spain. She could not shake off the doubts she had after hearing Iori's words.

"Miyako!" Ichijouji Ken had arrived in the airport to meet her.

"Ken-kun." Miyako waved at him. Both of them stared at each other looking surprised. How did they even know one another?

"Miyako-chan, Ichijouji-kun?" They turned to the voice direction and found a girl with orange and close to shoulder-length hair, Takenouchi Sora and her father, Takenouchi Haruhiko. Sora was fetching her father back from his overseas trip when she chanced upon them at the airport. They blinked when they saw Sora smiling at them.

"Oh, isn't that Miyako-chan?" Miyako scratched his head when the older man greeted her. Where had she met the man beside Sora before?

* * *

"Kyoto trip in my elementary school? That was how long ago?"Miyako felt bad for not being able to remember Professor Takenouchi. She even shared a ride with him to run after some Digital Monster? Miyako really could not comprehend. Ken could only stir his coffee, trying to understand his memory gap. He was very sure he had been to Kyoto to meet Miyako back then for some reason even though they were from different school and he was not even in a school trip.

"Your Digimon is a bird who can evolve into a ninja. I can never forget how cool he looked back then." Sora's father was reminiscing excitedly.

"Shu was especially excited while… eh.. was there supposed to be another boy with us?" Professor Takenouchi started to wonder.

"Father?" Sora called to snap him back to reality.

"A penny for your thought?" Sora asked in concern when she realise how pale her father's face had become. Takenouchi Haruhiko waved it off with a laugh. "Looks like my old man memory is failing me. It was just the three of us." He turned to Sora and said.

"The three of you are still young, you should head out to the world and explore. There're endless possibilities ahead of you as long as you believe in your dreams." Professor Takenouchi advised. Sora, Miyako and Ken nodded in unison.

They waved goodbye to the father and daughter as they headed separate ways.

"Sora-san and her father are really nice." Miyako commented with a smile while fidgeting with the handle of her luggage behind her. For some reason, Ken felt awkward around Miyako. How on earth did he managed to get himself in this situation in the first place?

"Ah? Digimon Battle!" Miyako exclaimed pointing at the electronic bill board up in one of the high wall in the airport. It was a propaganda video from the Incorporated Administrative Agency regarding the threat of the Digital Monsters in the Real World and they finally possess the ability to contain the threat.

"BlackWarGreymon?" The two of them cried out in unison. Ken was sweating hard watching BlackWarGreymon in a fight with a Digimon which was emitting fire with his breath. Ken felt the Digimon BlackWarGreymon was fighting looked awfully familiar.

"No… " Miyako was seen staggering aback. "Don't go, Hawkmon."

"Miyako?" Ken's mind returned to the present hearing Miyako crying out for a Digimon which was likely her partner. Ken stared at the screen. They felt no grudges to BlackWarGreymon. It was the other Digimon that triggered their fear. They raised their hands together and the two of them blushed when they realised that they were holding hands.

* * *

Ken and Miyako finally decided to meet Daisuke and Iori who had been pestering them to convince them that they were the so-called Chosen Children and they were partnered with Digimon. The two boys ran really fast from a distance they could see at their meeting place. That is what friends are for. They were willing to hear them out. They gathered underneath a bridge.

V-mon was busy scanning Ken and Miyako. Ken felt sorry for not remembering them.

"Maybe it's a blessing to not remember the painful times." Iori lamented.

"What're you talking about? It's because of what we gone through, we become who we are." Daisuke corrected Iori.

"Bingo!" Miyako agreed with him. "This memory gap is really annoying! How can we get it back?" Miyako groaned stomping her foot in the ground to vent her frustration.

"You guys are really familiar." Ken felt secured talking to them. Daisuke gave him an assuring smile with a pat on Ken's shoulder.

"Find that Digimon and crush him! Simple!" Daisuke proposed.

"But where can we find him?" V-mon questioned Daisuke who scratched his head. They only encountered him once.

"He deleted BlackWarGreymon and based on what we know, it's because BlackWarGreymon don't belong here in this dimension, he was able to remove him." V-mon reminded Daisuke from what they knew so far.

"Why is BlackWarGreymon even here in the first place? "

"The gate of dimension was open." Daisuke raised his D-3 above his eyes admiring it as he laid flat on the ground. It was a privilege he became a Chosen Child. He was not sure if he was considered lucky or it was bad luck he got to lead a team to save the world.

"Hey. Was I wrong?" Daisuke suddenly asked them. The three of them looked at Daisuke who had a solemn look.

"Daisuke made a choice and let's move on." Iori merely replied noticing Daisuke's change of mood.

"It took me only one question to Yamato-senpai in the other timeline, I changed their fate altogether." Daisuke reminisced.

"Yamato-senpai had always been perspective which was why he got us to investigate Menoa Belucci and Imura no, Yamada Kyoutarou. I believe Yamato in the other timeline would ask the same of us." Iori tried to talk Daisuke out from doubting himself.

"Your confused expression towards his friend when you first met gave you away." Iori highlighted. "Yamato-senai and even Koushirou-senpai of that timeline would have cornered you."

"EH? Why are you always siding with him, Iori-kun?" Iori's response caught Miyako's attention.

"He's my friend." Iori explained. And so, the two old neighbours started debating with one another and V-mon and Armadillomon tried to mediate between them awkwardly. Usually it was Miyako and Daisuke who would bicker with one another. Looks like Iori would make a good lawyer in future.

"I believe in Daisuke." Ken said out loud. He did not understand either. He would respect any decision Daisuke would have made and surely something good would come out of it even if he was wrong. A blessing in disguise, maybe.

"Thanks, Ken!" Daisuke sat himself up looking hopeful. Ken thought he saw figure of Ryo with a hopeful smile overlapped with him.

Daisuke turned his body with his butt as a balance to face the river. Watching the sun set, Ken felt a tinge of sadness coming from him as he sat beside him.

"I wonder what does Taichi-san think? Am I right to change his fate?"

"Taichi-san?" This name rang a bell to Ken.

Ken turned to Daisuke's direction.

"Where is he? Where's this Taichi-san? Can I see him?" Daisuke blinked his eyes and tilted his head to one side in response to his request. Ken did not know why too. He felt he could get some answers from Taichi-san.

* * *

Ken was greeted by Yagami Hikari and Tailmon who sat beside Kamiya Taichi who was asleep. She was expecting Ken after hearing from Daisuke-kun. Her brother was eager to meet Ken which surprised her. She was not aware they knew each other. Ken shrugged in response.

Hikari was Taichi's little sister. But for now, Taichi was unable to go by the name 'Yagami Taichi' who had "passed away"so he could only go with his other name Kamiya. Ken heard the little adventure Hikari had to go through before she got to see Taichi. She was surprised to see Takeru rushed to her house and drag her out ignoring her parents' reaction early in the morning. Tailmon almost going to jump on him for holding on to her hand.

They needed to be discreet to avoid a certain Agency's eyes on them that Takeru was forced to make a detour to throw the agents who had been following them off the trail and they had a little adventure because of that.

Hikari was wondering what made Takeru so hyped up. Patamon was giggling with excitement. They missed this during their adventure in the States.

Takeru managed to bring Hikari the hospital eventually. The person he liked Hikari to meet was looking out of the window where the sun shone on him when they first step foot to the room. When the person noticed, he gave them a smile which warmed them like the sun, Hikari jumped on him. And so, he had to endure Hikari going emotional on him and babysit him from then on.

They were not allowed to share their discovery to anyone else. They were told sternly by Jou that the Incorporated Administrative Agency must not learn of his existence. Hence, Hikari was unable to break the news to her parents until they settled things with them. They were lucky to have Daisuke and Iori who would help them manage the Agency from the inside.

* * *

"Oniichan, wake up. Ichijouji-kun is here." Hikari whispered to her brother in his ear and shaking him gently trying to wake him up. It would not be nice to let Ken go without letting her brother know. Hikari got a feeling her brother would not be happy if she did that. Taichi stirred a little and struggled to open his eyes. The tube which was stuck on his nose was making him so uncomfortable that he attempted to pull it out.

"Oniichan, don't!" Hikari pulled his arms to stop him from harming himself. Taichi was in a daze. He could vaguely see a young man in black short and jeans and he had dark blue hair. Even though he had cut his hair, he was someone familiar to him. Taichi finally got a clear view of him eventually.

"Ken-kun?" Taichi recognized him while Ken despite not knowing Taichi in person nodded in acknowledgement. Ken was surprised to see Taichi looking at him as though he was someone he was very close with.

"You had grown up." Even if it was vague, Ken could see tears welling up at the corner of his eyes. He was… heartened to see him, he realized.

"Oniichan, I'm off to my class now. I'll come back after that to accompany you." Hikari said with a gentle smile. She decided to leave her brother with Ken even though she was reluctant to leave his side. She did not know why, she just had to do that for him.

"Don't worry, I'm not as weak as you think. I can even stand on my own." Taichi tried to reason with her by trying to get off bed to only be stopped by Ken forcing him back to his bed. It was obvious Taichi was not in the condition to move about. Taichi was very pale and weak. He probably just woke up from a long slumber.

"Yagami-san, leave him to me." Ken promised Hikari they would be fine. Hikari hesitated a little and then she shook her head. She should trust him.

"Tailmon, let's go." She called her partner who leapt off with her.

"Rest well, Taichi." Tailmon said before disappearing from their sight. Taichi nodded at Hikari and Tailmon to reassure them.

"Class? It had been so long since I last attended school. Thank you for coming to see me." Taichi said to Ken who sat down at the side of his bed. His bed slightly adjusted upwards so he could be in a seating position. The way Taichi looked at Ken in his eyes made him slightly uncomfortable.

"It's okay that you don't remember or rather you don't know me." Taichi said in a reassuring tone. He stared up at the ceiling. "It's uncanny to see white ceiling all the time for my case. I can't be out of the hospital for now and even if no one tell me outright, I know I don't have much time."

"Don't say that. There's always hope." Ken tried to encourage him. Taichi shook his head in denial.

"It's alright. I know this body." Taichi clenched and released his fist to exercise his hands which had been lacking strength since his stay in hospital. He had just woke up a few days ago. He was supposed to be dead from complication of his injury to his heart. While he was impaled, this body was shot.

"What do you mean by this body? It's your body. Why did you say you were impaled when you were shot?" Ken was confused by his words.

"If it wasn't for BlackWarGreymon, I won't be able to live in this body after he died. Kamiya Taichi, he probably resigned to his fate like I did previously." Taichi stared at palm of his hands. His mind came back to the present upon realizing he was blabbering nonsense to an acquaintance.

"I'm so sorry." Taichi turned to him and said wondering why he did that. It must be the effect from the drugs used on him. Ken deduced that Taichi probably need a lot of painkillers and medication to ease his pain. He kept quiet. Taichi needed someone he could confide in. He should not judge him.

"I'll be blunt. I'm not from this dimension." Taichi revealed. "I know you and your brother, Osamu back in the dimension I came from." Taichi had fond memories with him and Osamu. Those memories were precious to Taichi. "The owner of this body probably had never met both of you."

_"Ken-kun?" He blurted out catching Ken's attention._

_Ken was shocked to see his brother's friend staring at him when Stingmon took off to the air before landing into the river where the portal was. Ken's eyes were filled with guilt when he disappeared into the portal._

Taichi smiled commenting about how fast time had gone by. While everyone had found their own path, he lost time and he was still stuck where he was.

"I'm the worst." Taichi began to hit himself on his head with his hand. Ken had to intervene before he really hurt himself. The monitor began to flare as Taichi's heart rate and gone over the roof. He was in terrible shape clutching his chest. His chest hurt and he was having trouble breathing.

"Why is this still happening to me? Why?" Taichi was just sick to be sick but he could not do anything to change this.

"Taichi-san, don't! It's okay." Ken attempted to calm him down when Dr. Kido and his team rushed in.

"Leave me alone. I'm a burden to everyone. I don't deserve this. Just let me die." Ken didn't know where Taichi found the strength to push them away and finally pulled the tube out of his nose. He did not want any more injections or surgeries.

Ken was at a loss. He promised Hikari he would take care of her brother. What if she was here to see this? An image of Osamu came to his mind and sound of a tight slap was heard.

Red finger mark was seen on Taichi's face as Taichi stopped struggling. Dr. Kido turned to Ken who was teared up in anger and he spoke up.

"I don't know why I decided to come and see you. I thought you can give me some answers to the doubts I have. Here you're throwing a fit. Some people wished to live so badly but they are not given a chance, while you've already given up?" Ken started chiding him. It was so unlike him who seemed to be gentle and kind in people's eyes.

"You're also given a second chance like me." Ken said gathering from the facts Taichi had shared with him. "So please don't say things like 'let me die'. You have people who love you and those who you love. They wouldn't want anything bad happening to you. Do you understand?"

_"Oniichan, you try!"_

_"But I'm not good at it."_

_"There's something you can't do?" Ken was astonished. Osamu was good at everything._

_"Of course, you're best at blowing bubbles because you blow kindly." Osamu said in a gentle tone. "I can't do it. They always burst."_ _He blew the straw and popped, he disappeared._

_"Oniichan, where are you? Come back!"_

Taichi rubbed his swollen face staring at Ken blankly.

"I'm sorry." He murmured weakly.

Dr. Kido nodded at Ken in acknowledgement as he proceeded to sedate Taichi. He needed his rest. It did not take too long as Taichi closed his eyes in tears.

"Taichi-kun had trouble adapting in his condition even though he doesn't say so. He'll be fine after some rest." Dr. Kido reassured Ken. Ken decided to stay with Taichi for a while more to make sure he would be okay after the medical team left. Ken pulled the blanket over him to keep him warm.

Red finger marks were rather obvious on Taichi's pale face. Ken felt a little guilty wondering why he did that. He would get it from Hikari if she sees this.

"Second chance?" Ken was confused why he said that. That was when his smart phone fell off from his pocket and dropped on the floor. Ken picked it up and it glowed. Ken fell on his butt as some memories came gushing to his head.

_"There's no time. We'll take care of this!" Ken insisted. He caused the mess and he would deal with it alone._

_"I won't let people suffer anymore because of what I did." Ken replied. "Why did I have to become the Digimon Kaiser?"_

_"I want to restore the Digital World with my own hands. But things just keep getting worse. I can't stand it! I don't want any more destruction in this world." Ken looked his his trembling hands.._

_"I don't care what'll happen to me. Right now, I have to stop this reactor!" Daisuke slapped him._

_"Idiot! How can you say that?" Daisuke demanded angrily._

_"Think of who would be sad if you were gone?" Daisuke scolded. "If I let you go now and you never come back, I'll regret it forever. So I won't let you go!"_

_"You may be okay with it, but I'm not!" Daisuke continued to lecture Ken._

_"Motomiya…"_

_"Live…" Daisuke requested._

* * *

_"You had grown up. Seemed that you had managed to create the miracle to overcome your destiny." Ken exclaimed in relief. Daisuke would be relieved to hear that._

_"Do you really think so?" He pulled his hand to his chest where his heart was beating and Ken screamed in horror as the man's face changed to someone even more familiar to him._

* * *

" _Ken-chan!"_

A caterpillar Digimon appeared in his mind warming his heart and woke him up from his stupor.

"What was that?" A shiver ran down his spine as he came back to the present. Ken rubbed his forehead which throbbed in pain. he recognized the man with the Crest of Miracle which shuddered him to the core. It cannot be who he thought he was.

While others would eventually recognize him as Taichi with the Crest of Miracle, Ken saw him as someone else.

"But this cannot be possible?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: This chapter is linked to 'The Kyoto Encounter' chapter in "Alternate Adventure" in an alternate timeline I had written.


	18. Side: Yamada Kyoutarou

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yamada Kyoutarou was a member of Chosen Child from Daigo's team. His partnership with his partner had ended many years ago. As a FBI agent, he was assign to work undercover for his former comrade, a fellow Chosen Child Menoa and had to eventually arrest her. What happened to Daigo, Maki and Menoa with the Agency gave him the resolve to look into the Agency and find out the truth within. What he found was more than he had expected and he got to witness what Yamato's team possess, his team didn't which made him proud of them. However, the power behind who had used Menoa to kill Taichi, had him under control as well when Taichi appeared before them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Imura or Yamada Kyoutarou is Menoa's assistant who was revealed to be a FBI agent working undercover to find evidences against Menoa to arrest her. In my fanfic setting, I'm inspired to include him as another Chosen Child who was also with Daigo's team due to his VA, Ono Daisuke. Ono Daisuke and Namikawa Daisuke happened to voice the characters in K, Shiro and Kuroh and they were from the same Silver Clan. Kuroh is guarding and waiting on Shiro after joining him so why not have Yamada under Daigo's team. In any case, this is a plot bunny for my fanfiction.
> 
> This is my longest chapter to date. Hopefully that doesn't bore readers with my crappy writing.
> 
> Digimon is not mine.

When the news of Menoa reached him he did not know how he should react. He was the one who arrested her in person. As one of the friends who should be watching over her, he failed her.

"Menoa…" Yamada Kyoutarou punched the table in his office in frustration. He was a Japanese FBI agent who had moved the States for many years. He had completed his mission with the arrest of Menoa Belucci, a former Chosen Child for conducting illegal experiment which almost caused destruction to many lives.

Only he and the other Chosen Children from their team were left. Their fates were sealed, there was no escape. There were only tragedies as far as he seen.

Even so, he had seen miracles. The Chosen Children emerged victorious and they had rescued Menoa from her obsession to prevent others to end up like her. Ishida Yamato from the 'Strongest Team' had especially caught his attention. He and his friends managed to save the world time and again.

Yamada had nominated Ishida Yamato to the Japanese Investigation Bureau despite hearing news that the Self Defence Force had their eyes on him. Talents like him should not be overlooked. He had the document he needed for submission ready.

He was about to leave when an envelope toppled of his desk by accident and a photo of a young man with wild and huge brown hair fell out of it. Yamada picked it up and his eyes were filled with guilt and regrets.

With Menoa's arrest, he was able to obtain warrant to look into the Agency. Yamada was unhappy even though he had achieved his objective. It came with a high price after all. A life was sacrificed.

Yamada wondered what if he had done something as soon as he found out his identity, would things change? Menoa would not have killed him.

"Taichi-kun." Yamada decided to make a trip to the graveyard to pay his respect to him.

"Taichi was posthumously promoted to a senior agent in the Incorporated Administrative Agency for his contribution to their research." The Incorporated Administrative Agency was highly elusive. He wanted to investigate on the Agency but as it involved the government, he was unable to get any warrant to look into them.

He was out of idea until he encountered Menoa. Menoa happened to be a former acquaintance who had been through life and death situation with him as fellow Chosen Children chosen by the one who desired stability. Yamada, in order to investigate the Agency, decided to work undercover under Menoa as her assistant. To his surprise, even Taichi who was under her care as his guardian was enrolled as an agent by name.

It was not just Yamato, Kamiya or rather Yagami Taichi was a talent on his own too. Yamada did not shared his background with him after Menoa's dissuasion. However, Taichi still managed to find his way to Izumi Koushirou although it did not end up as he had expected and met his fate.

_Yamada was shocked to find Taichi lying on the ground in a pool of blood. He was bleeding profusely as his hand was seen clutching on his chest where his blood was seeping through his fingers._

_"Hang on." Yamada got to him and he cradled him on his lap. Taichi was struggling to keep himself awake._

_"I couldn't… stop… her… I let Nishijima-san down…" Taichi tried to get his words out while coughing out blood. His breathing was shallow._

_"It's fine, you shouldn't carry all these burden on yourself. I'm at fault too for not taking action earlier…" He tried to comfort Taichi as he lost his consciousness._

He must admit he was trembling when he was on the ambulance with Taichi. The paramedics were doing all they can, performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on him all the way to the hospital. When he attempted to help Taichi stop his bleeding, he had already known that the gunshot wound was fatal. It was a point-blank shot to his heart.

"Was there a need to kill him, Menoa?" Yamada did not understand. He had retrieved his pistol Menoa had stolen from him from Koushirou's office. Koushirou had been hospitalized like the other Chosen Children whose consciousness had been taken by Eosmon.

Taichi had always been earnest young man who had been working hard. In five years, he was able to get himself enrolled to a college. Taichi was supposed to start his university in Tokyo this coming spring.

The light of the surgery went off. The doctor came out of the operating theatre shaking his head. Taichi was in a critical condition despite having the bullet removed. The doctor informed them to prepare for the worst.

There was a sense of urgency. They needed to retrieve Taichi's consciousness back from Eosmon to even hope for a miracle. He would certainly die if his consciousness did not returned on time.

"Koushirou had sent me the coordinates." Ishida Yamato said quietly. "Most likely he did it while buying time with Menoa Belucci." Yamato was trying hard to contain himself when he saw his long lost friend lying deadly pale and hooked up by the life support system in the ICU to keep him alive for as long as possible.

"Good luck, Ishida, Mochizuki. Please come back safely." He would watch over Taichi on their behalf.

"Agumon?" Yamato called him. They had no time to waste. The orange dinosaur Digimon seemed to be reluctant to leave Taichi but he knew what was important. He stole a glance at Taichi before running off to join Yamato and Mochizuki. That was Taichi's partner Digimon.

_"Please save Menoa."_ He could only cry out in his mind as he had no right to ask this of them.

They had an important task to save all their friends.

Menoa was rescued along with the unconscious children and their partner Digimon. She seemed to be refreshed when he handcuffed her.

"I hope Kyoutarou-san can find your answers as well." She said.

"What answers are you looking for? I'm already done and over with that when we parted." Yamada pointed to his own chest. "I have him and he had me here. We're always together."

"You're really no fun. I guess this is an advantage of yours being the eldest and most cool headed of us." Menoa tilted her head and said teasingly.

* * *

He was around when Taichi passed away with Mochizuki, Yamato and the children Daigo rescued five years ago from Yggdrasil by his side.

Yamada had a chance to go through Taichi's belongings when he found some DVDs at his place before another rebooted Chosen Child came along. It was so unlike Taichi to have such an interest. Yamada shook that thought away reminding himself that Taichi was also grown up man like him. He pressed on the play button on the last DVD from the player instead of ejecting. Yamada blushed while waiting for the content to load. He silted open his eyes just to peek.

"Taichi. If you manage to see this video, it means that you're prepared." A male about age of 25 with dark olive-green hair appeared in the screen.

"Daigo?" Yamada recognized the voice.

_"I couldn't… stop… her… I let Nishijima-san down…"_

No wonder Taichi-kun mentioned his name. He took hours to finish all the videos his former leader took pain to record.

"Baihumon's seal was not lifted." He realized. Daigo did not have a chance to settle things with his partner like he did. Daigo had really worked hard to keep Taichi from his fate. The boy had become an adult. He regretted for not being able to watch over Taichi and helped Daigo to save Baihumon. He should have kept in touch with them. Life had caught up to him so much that he had drifted away from them until his job reunited him and Menoa.

"I'm sorry, Daigo."

* * *

Yamada waited for Ishida Yamato who came for the interview but at the end of the day he did not show up. He heard that he had declined their invitation.

"Why?" He asked Yamato out for a talk. To others, it was a waste to pass up such opportunity to join the Investigation Bureau for an internship and eventually get an opportunity to join even FBI. He did not know why he was mad at him.

"I'm just not interested in becoming an investigator." Yamato merely said folding his arms.

"I saw the potential in you. You have a keen sense of observation and your deployment skills by utilizing the resources you have on hand to reach me proved to be valuable to us." Yamada tried to persuade him.

"Besides, you led the Chosen Children to save the world again and again as a leader." He saw Yamato's eyes widened in response. His hands were clenched into fist and his teeth gritted in anger. He was peeved.

"Leader? Don't call me that." Yamato hated the identity.

"He's a better leader than I'm." Yamato's expression looked dark. He was upset about something.

"If Taichi's around, he'll do a better job than me." Yamato added. Yamada understood. Taichi, after all was from the same team as Yamato.

"You're expecting too much from him." Yamada gave a pat on Yamato's shoulder. "Taichi was not who you are expecting what I have observed. I watched him grow up."

"You!" Yamato had lost it as he pulled him by his collar. He wanted to punch him. Yamada knew Yamato was mad. He was guilty for keeping his knowledge of Taichi's past from Taichi himself.

"Taichi-kun prefer to settle things with minimum damage. Unlike you, I have doubts about him making difficult decision to go for the kill when things get dire." Yamada was merely stating the fact from his observation. Yamato just got angrier. He was not convinced.

"When things get dire, he'll choose to sacrifice himself to resolve things." Yamada stated the fact. Putting others before himself, that was the true side of him. The truth was always cruel. Yamato let go of Yamada as he was right. If only Taichi was willing to rely on them, they might not have come to this situation.

"I'll be investigating the Incorporated Administrative Agency, Ishida-kun. This mission might be more dangerous than expected." Yamada shared with Yamato. They were hiding behind an alley.

"As you're aware, they have technology to destroy Digimon and in future, Chosen Children's assistance will not be required. Digimon that died here cannot be revived in the Primary Village. You know what that mean, Ishida-kun!"

"More innocent lives will be destroyed. It won't be just Digimon, the children who had their bonds destroyed will be scarred forever." Yamato shared his opinions.

"If more of these Digimon Partners were destroyed, it will certainly get the attention from the one who desired stability." Yamato looked surprised that Yamada knew this much. Yamada did not hesitate to show him his frozen Digivice. He was a Chosen Child like Yamato and one who had ended his partnership with his partner Digimon.

"We need to stop them." Yamato agreed as he understood the consequences well enough.

"Ishida-kun, I'll be waiting for you." Yamada called out as he was him rode off with his bike. Yamada felt a little guilty. He was actually swayed by Menoa to stay clear of her way to allow her to trigger another round of reboot. But now, he knew what was the best for them.

* * *

The Incorporated Administrative Agency were rather cooperative when he first stepped into the office. He entered from the front gate, obviously they were well prepared when they welcomed him and the guests he was escorting to the Headquarters to conduct their inspection.

Agent Mochizuki Meiko and Agent Mado Kado were the lead for this tour. Their team would cooperate and to provide whatever FBI agents and the 'stakeholders' they were escorting needed for evaluation.

"Our Research and Development team are highly effective. In five years, we are able to come up with 'tools' to manage 'Extraordinary Electronic Disaster' without involving the Chosen Children. In the next five years, we intend to free these 'privileged civilians' from these responsibilities and defend the Real World on our own." Agent Kado showed the Yamada and the various stakeholders he was accompanying some of the arms.

"These equipment are not harmful to the human while the dangerous monsters created by data can be taken care of." He continued with his introduction. Mochizuki Meiko while she was assisting Kado to pick up some of the tools which seemed like weapons to Yamada, she had not spoken a word. Her eyes, Yamada realized was always on the camera above he noticed.

"The world is facing the same threat by these monsters. Property damage and potential loss of lives can be prevented. This way, we can achieve peace without any more damage. Your employer will be pleased, Agent Yamada." Kado concluded in his final presentation. Yamada rolled his eyes while reading the papers.

Yamada and the others finished reading the papers. This was rather impressive. To think they had actually achieved so much all these years with Professor Mochizuki, Maki and Menoa's work.

"These were actually developed with trial and error based on the results and data gathered from the actual battles from the Chosen Children. We should not be relying on innocent civilians to take up our responsibility to defend the world for us. The Self Defence Force had been welcoming to the idea as well." Kado highlighted.

The tour had finally ended. Yamada was about to drive off with the guests he was escorting when Meiko approached him.

* * *

"I can't believe he asked to see you in person?" Mochizuki Meiko could not believe her ears when that man called her. The elusive head of the Agency had never showed up in person.

"Yamada-san, please be careful." She pulled Yamada away as Kado were seeing the guests off.

"So he can make use of me like my comrades." Yamada scoffed at how he managed to have three of his friends to work for him. Even Mochizuki Meiko, Motomiya Daisuke and his group were with the agency. Taichi had even used the privilege as an agent to his own purpose.

"He knows you're investigating them. He had eyes on us and especially in the HQ." Meiko informed him of the cameras Yamada had noticed she had always been watching out for. They were in the underground car park of the HQ where the Chief wanted to meet instead of the conference room. Meiko made sure they were in the blindspot of the cameras.

"I'll be surprised if he doesn't." Yamada said leaning his body against a pillar. "The Chief was said to be extremely shrewd."

"He never showed up in person. None of us have actually met him." Meiko shared what she knew.

"Why are you helping me when you're working for the Agency?" Yamada was puzzled.

"It's personal." Meiko looked down at her crestfallen reflection from the puddle of water on the floor.

"Mei is experiencing different memories from various number of dimensions." A squeaky voice was heard saying.

"Meicoomon?" Yamada was stunned by the appearance of the orange feline Digimon. She should have been killed five years ago.

"Mei-chan." Meiko did not expect her partner to show herself. Meiko wanted her to be hidden from the sight of the other agents just in case she would be put in danger.

Meicoomon based on what his investigation was a very special Digimon. She had inherited a certain data out of this world and lost herself five years ago. It took the combined powers from a group of teenagers mostly in goggles who were not in Izumi Koushirou's database to support Ishida and his team to defeat her.

With the reboot, most Digimon had their memories reset and memories of the past were purged and gone. Meicoomon, because she appeared to hold the backup of the memories of the Digimon, they managed to recover their memories.

"Mei-chan, what's going on?" Meiko squatted down to her partner who was having a fit.

"What is happening?" Yamada was afraid she would lost control since Meicoomon was said to be an extremely unstable Digimon.

"He's here." Meicoomon cried.

"Who?" Meiko asked worriedly trying to reach for her but her hands were met with invisible wall. There was a barrier activated and it had locked Meicoomon in.

"The man who doesn't belong." Meicoomon clutched her head in pain.

"Well done, Meicoomon. Just as expected from a Digimon who possessed all the knowledge of the Digital World. " A brunette man appeared to them. Meiko's eyes widened at his sudden appearance. The sizzling image of the man told them that he was not here physically.

"Yeah it's a hologram." Yamada found his voice rather soothing and familiar. Just where had he heard that voice.

This was the first time Mochizuki Meiko had seen the Chief in person. Yamada watched her hand reaching for most likely her Digivice. Yamada grabbed her by her hand to help her up. Meiko was in cold sweat and trembling. She was frozen in place.

"This can't be." She mumbled in disbelief. "You shouldn't be here. Why are you the one?"

The Chief of the Agency smirked. It was a smirk that irked him and Meiko. Meiko fell on her knees as soon as she spotted a golden crest on his wrist. It felt like she could not believe someone like him could do such things to Digimon they all loved as their friends. Meicoomon was caught in the range by one of the devices the Agency came up with and was in pain should she tried to fight back.

Yamada and Meiko glared at him in antagonism as the man continued talking walking past them, carrying Meicoomon on his arms. They were shocked that he could carry things physically. He could materialise to such an extent.

"Don't touch her!" Meiko was afraid Meicoomon would come to harm once again.

"By the way, I shall demonstrate a new tool to the world. It will certainly not disappoint Mochizuki and…" The man toned down his voice and speak into her ears. "…it can even save the person you wanted to protect really badly if we can pull this off."

Meiko shuddered at his words. She sat on the ground in defeat. There was no way she could overpower him.

"So is Nishijima Daigo, Himekawa Maki and Menoa Belucci." He raised his voice so that Yamada could hear clearly as well.

"Those poor Chosen Children will not have to suffer like me." The man said quietly as he held his hand with the golden crest over his chest while holding Meicoomon on other arm.

He walked over to Meiko and handed Meicoomon back to her.

"I look forward to see what Mochizuki and the rest can come up with. Please don't disappoint me." The man said and left with his hands in his coat pocket.

Meicoomon stared at the back of the man who vanished into the air before her eyes and she muttered something in a trance before she was freed by the restrain in the area.

_"That boy… he'll go through extreme tribulation. He has to be destined for the Crest of Miracle to have a chance of getting out of this."_

Just who was he? Yamada was more piqued to find out. Meiko was holding a cracked golden Digivice staring at the space the Chief had disappeared to in fear.

* * *

Yamada noticed a familiar Digimon racing in the street while avoiding the crowd. He had a hood over him and he wore a pair of goggles. He knew him as the messenger of the one who desired stability.

The Digimon was heading somewhere in a rush. Yamada hoped he could catch up with him with his training as an intelligence officer and enforcer.

Before long, the Digimon sped up a building in a flash. No even Yamada's eyes could keep up and he lost him near a hospital.

"Hackmon? Why is he here? " Yamada could not understand. If he was here, something must be going on.

Hackmon was secretly watching a certain Chosen Children to verify his existence. He appeared on top of a streetlight where he could have a good view of a Chosen Child with huge brown hair resting at the balcony.

Yamada waited for a good five minutes before he noticed Hackman raced up to balcony. He saw an unknown Digimon holding up a person in the air by his neck.

Using his identity as FBI agent when he was stopped at the reception, he raced up to where Hackmon was. He was interfering with the Digimon and the young man in hospital gown. The Digimon let go of his prey and entered a portal before the messenger could stop him.

"Taichi-kun?" Yamada could not believe his eyes. He thought he had died. Taichi had fell unconscious on the ground before Hackmon. There were some red burn mark around his neck along with other needles wound from the IVs removed from him. Taichi's hand was clutching his chest when Yamada cradled Taichi carefully on his arms while Hackmon looked around for something. There were some burnt marks left by the Digimon that disappeared.

"Hackmon?" Yamada addressed him.

"He had gotten away." He narrowed his eyes sensing threat to come.

"Better get the doctors to check on him. It won't be my issue if he dies now." Hackmon said coldly before leaping away to somewhere else. Kido Jou and Gomamon rushed in as soon as they could to find Taichi lying unconscious on Yamada's arms. They were too slow to realise something had happened to their friend.

* * *

"What brings you here? Why are you with Taichi-kun? How is he alive?" Yamada confronted Hackmon in an empty warehouse after Taichi was taken care of by Jou and the medical team. Hackmon was a Digimon who could freely evolve as he wished without being partnered with a human.

"You have indeed grown up well, Kyoutarou-kun. You really made a good detective." Hackmon scanned the man whom he had not met since his last reunion with his partner Digimon.

"He's well, don't worry." Hackmon shared to Yamada. Yamada felt a sense of relief. No matter how far apart they were, they always be connected even if their partnership had ended. Unlike the Holy Beasts, the lives of the partner Digimon were extinguished once their partnership ended.

"Our partnership had ended many years ago." Yamada hated to admit it, they would never meet again.

"That was what makes you different from the batch chosen after you guys. They never say die and never give up even if they were put in a hopeless situation." Hackmon could not help but to comment.

"Perhaps, you guys were better off without the memories of your adventure." Hackmon continued. Yamada blinked in response. "Have you given a thought about it? Why do your friends ended up badly? Hackmon was referring to Daigo, Maki and Menoa.

"Whereas the team after you guys, they defeated the Dark Masters with their own hands and saved the two worlds countless times and proved myself and Homeostasis wrong. There was something they could still do even if the situation is hopeless." Hackmon shared his opinion about Yamato's team.

"Even if you're right, unlike me, Maki and Menoa did not give up. They wanted to meet their partners but things didn't end up well for them." Yamada raised his voice in an attempt to defend his fallen friends.

"They picked the wrong methods, hence they have to pay the price." Hackmon merely said. "We had never meant for anyone of you to die unless your existence endangers the stability of Homeostasis desired like that boy earlier." Hackmon's expression darkened. here was no way he could leave him to die.

"That boy? Don't tell me." Yamada asked sensing hint from Hackmon who nodded.

"Yagami Taichi, that boy is never meant to exist right here and now." Hackmon revealed lowering his voice further.

"Tell me about it, Hackmon." Yamada saw eyes to eyes with Hackmon. It appeared that Hackmon wanted to protect Taichi but his action was going against the will of Homeostasis.

"We desire the harmony of all. Harmony exists only if it is sustained. As long as its existence destroys the harmony, we cannot overlook it. That is the reason Homeostasis wanted the child of Courage removed even if there will be other sacrifice to be made."

But he did not realise that the man he encountered in the Agency had been watching them and had taken note of their conversation with his fist clenched.

It was the will of Homeostasis but he did not know why. Why was he not supposed to exist? The man punched his fist against the wall in fury and took off running before he vanished into the portal he opened.

* * *

"In all dimensions and timelines, Taichi-san would either die of heart disease or heart injuries." Mochizuki Meiko shared the unbelievable fact with the rest. From what they were aware of there were at least two different forces who was after Taichi's life.

Motomiya Daisuke and a few Chosen Children gathered in Koushirou's office and Yamada Kyoutarou was among those invited as one of the Chosen Child. Jou and Mimi remained with Taichi in the hospital to protect him as they still have their partner Digmon ready to fight.

"I seen him die countless times in many of my memories." Meiko admitted. She was seated in the sofa with Hikari, Takeru in one line while Yamato, Sora and Iori sat on the opposite. It was really unbelievable to the rest. They would not have believed her if it was not Daisuke and Iori who vouched for her.

"Taichi-san's existence past the adult age had threatened the balance of the Real World and the Digital World. Only the dimension, the Crest of Miracle appeared to is an exception." Daisuke briefed the team what he knew. Hikari and the rest looked really shocked.

"Our dimension unfortunately is not the one with the Crest but our Taichi-san miraculously live past the age of 19. To Homeostasis, his existence affected the stability of our timeline while I still do not know what the Agency wants with him. According to my father, he was a valuable sample to Professor Belucci." Mochizuki Meiko hid the fact of his survival from the Agency based on her instinct and the secret only her father knew.

"Hackmon did mention Homeostasis wanted him removed for a certain reason." Yamada said earning a glare from Yamato. Yamato and Sora was not supposed to be involved but for Taichi's sake, they were not going to give up without a fight.

"Taichi-san should not even exist. That was what I heard." Meiko looked down in sadness.

"Who said that?" Hikari stood up in fury. Taichi was a precious brother to her and she would not forgive those who said that of him and the Agency even referred to him as sample. How could they? She would protect him at all cost. Meiko shook her head. "I can't remember. I could be dreaming."

"Did Homeostasis succeed in any of the memories you have, Mochizuki?" Yamada asked anyway. Meiko paused a while before nodding. "In some of my memories, Taichi-san died not long after being woken up by the power of a Holy Beast's core. Gennai of that dimension disappeared after returning his memories to him. Taichi-san died in other dimensions from incidents which seemed like accidents such as when he trespassed restricted area or he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time but yet I feel it was due to some other unknown force."

"So this is how it is." A new voice was heard and it was Taichi who arrived with Mimi and Jou. They had escorted him here.

"Taichi!" Yamato and Sora exclaimed in unison.

"Oniichan!" Hikari raced to her brother in the wheelchair. He should not have come.

"Taichi-kun was not well but he insisted to come and Mimi-kun managed to convince me and my father." Jou complained in dismay.

"If I'm going to die anyway, I might as well live my remaining life to my best. I know you guys are discussing about me." Taichi told everyone. "What Mochizuki said earlier was exactly what happened to me. At least one of them I can vividly remembered." Taichi looked in shame before turning to Yamato's direction. Yamato had already noticed. Taichi of this dimension had sacrificed himself in order to save the children whose consciousness was taken by Eosmon.

"I'm not your Taichi." Taichi decided to admit.

"Nonono. Taichi is our Taichi." Mimi interrupted him. "There is no distinction." Palmon and Gomamon nodded in unison along with Mimi.

"Mimi." Jou really admired her open-mindedness.

"That's right. Taichi, believe in us, will you?" Sora said holding one of his hand to give him support.

"Taichi." Yamato called him and Taichi turned his head to him.

"Yamato-san?" Daisuke shouted in panic as he wanted to stop his senior from punching his friend. Yamato's punch was about to hit Taichi which he stopped right on his face. Taichi did not even flinch or attempted to dodge. Taichi smiled.

"I know, Yamato. I learnt my lesson." Taichi said and he clutched his chest as his heart throbbed in pain suddenly. He wheezed to catch his breath.

"Oniichan. Taichi-san." Taichi waved Hikari and Takeru off. The pain came on and off and he was used to it. The pain would ease off soon. Taichi hated to be seen as weak.

"Mochizuki?" Taichi raised his head to see the black-haired girl in glasses who had given him support all these while. She was soothing his back to help Taichi feel better.

"Thank you." Taichi felt awkward towards her. Meiko gave him a reassuring smile. She handed him his Digivice when the pain finally ease off. His Digivice was covered with crack but it was still active. Taichi took it from her and held it to his chest. It had been so long since he last held his Digivice on his hands. Yamato's which was supposed to be in similar condition as his, was frozen and disabled when he showed Taichi his Digivice.

"Which means, Taichi-san is still an active Chosen Child like us." Iori analysed. "His partner is still active somewhere."

"Is Agumon still around?" Taichi asked for confirmation. He missed Agumon so much. He did not expect there would be a way their partnership would end when they become adult when their potential disappeared.

"I had sent V-mon and the rest to find out more in the Digital World. They had stayed in the Real World for too long during this period." Daisuke updated. "They'll be back soon." He stood up from Koushirou's seat and walked over to Taichi.

"Taichi-san, here you go." Daisuke handed him his goggles placing it on top of his hand and covered with his. Taichi recognised it. That was his goggles. The rest then realized the goggles he had in possession for so long was Taichi's. Daisuke found it when he first arrived in the Digital World and wore it since then as a symbol of strength and to bear the weight of it.

Taichi shook his head and returned to him. Daisuke fully deserved it.

"Then, can you hold it until we finished things with the Agency and Homeostasis." Daisuke proposed. "If you die, it will still come back to me."

"Daisuke!" Hikari stood up feeling irritated by his choice of words.

"Wait for him to finish." Iori urged knowing Daisuke had more in mind.

"Live. And give it back to me when you feel like it, Taichi-san." Daisuke squatted before him taking his goggles and put it on for Taichi.

"Yes, it fits you perfectly, Taichi-san." Daisuke commented proudly as Yamato and the rest smiled. Taichi conceded and smiled along with them.

"Thank you."

Meiko smiled as well. She recalled what Agumon described about Taichi once.

_"Taichi had this weakness. He had yet to understand the true essence of the Crest of Courage. Taichi needed to have the courage to not only trust but also to rely on his friends."_

Yamada felt proud of them. These children were what Hackmon described as relentless and they did not know when to give up.

A blackout occurred and a sinister laughter was heard. A man with brown hair in his thirties showed up to them.

Daisuke stood in front of Taichi in a defensive stance as Yamato and Sora grabbed Taichi's hands to support him. Mimi and Jou were prepared to fight with Palmon and Gomamon as a Digimon appeared behind the man.

"Heliosmon." Yamada recongised from Menoa's papers. That was a sibling Digimon of Eosmon.

Daisuke gaped in horror as he noticed the crest on his wrist. The man was a hologram as his image was sizzling every once in a while. Hikari's eyes widened at the man who resembled her father. Iori and Takeru were also getting ready to get away as part of their evacuation plan.

"Y-you're the Chief?! Why?" Daisuke recognised him. He was the one who created the Incorporated Administrative Agency which helped to deal with Digimon incidents in the background. The organisation was growing over the years and now they even had the support from the Self-Defence Force and with their research in place. They were able to come up with countermeasure against Digimon destroying their data if they threaten the peace in the Real World. To think he was the one. Daisuke still could not believe it and he kept his eyes on the crest on his wrist. Countdown needles appeared on his D-3 when he raised his D-3. His time with V-mon was also numbered.

Yamada noticed Taichi looked really shocked. He realized they look uncannily similar. The next moment, Yamada found himself elsewhere.

_"Look at how Taichi-kun is doing? We can take it all back by going through reboot again. We can get Daigo-senpai and Maki-senpai back."_ _He found himself before Menoa again._

_"Spare the boy from his pain of fighting his destiny. No matter how the event flowed in time, he can't escape for he was dealt the curse when the crest was activated to grant all of our wishes." Yamada saw Menoa who was in trance in the next moment holding up a pistol walking up quickly to Taichi._

_Was it Heliosmon or Eosmon? Yamada could not tell who was the one behind. He had appeared behind him as well. Yamada stared up to the culprit in fear._

_"It's you." Yamada felt a weight off his shoulder when he saw a familiar Digimon appearing behind him. That was his partner Digimon and he wanted his help._

_"Spare the boy from his fate." An image of Gennai receiving a Digicore flashed through his mind._

* * *

_"Kill the boy, do not let that man have him."_ Light disappeared from Yamada's eyes leaving him in trance.

"You are me?" Taichi muttered noticing how alike they resembled one another except that he was older than him and he had cut his hair. Taichi then shook his head. Before Taichi was able to say anything, Yamada had taken Taichi hostage forcing him up on his feet with his pistol pinned on his back. Taichi yelped in pain when Yamada kicked him with his right knee and twisted his wrist forcing Taichi to fell on his knees.

"Taichi!" Yamato and Sora was shoved to the ground by surprise were the first to notice before Daisuke turned his head around. He was still in shock because of the clock on his D-3. The rest were caught by surprise. Yamada was caught in trance and nobody realised.

"Oniichan! Let him go!" Hikari and Tailmon wanted to save Taichi but was held back by Takeru hugging her from her back and Patamon blocking Tailmon's way. They were just as anxious but they could not act rashly. They were also afraid that Hikari would lose control of herself if something happened to Taichi.

Taichi remained calm despite having a gun pinned where his heart was from his back as Yamada hold him by his neck and the two of them staggered backwards. His eyes was focused on the man opposite him. Taichi could not believe his eyes. While others saw him as the man with brown hair, he saw him as someone familiar. He was smirking. This smirk was a trademark smile of an old friend he could never forget.

"Are you Ken-kun's brother, Osamu?"


	19. Side: Akiyama Ryo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time and dimension traveling was not foreign to Akiyama Ryo. An encounter with a Digimon that foresee everything in the world from the "Kernel", and the destruction of the Vault changed the destiny of the Chosen Children creating a new dimension that has a possibility to defy 'destiny'.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is interlinked to the side story 'Digimon Adventure 02: The Alternate Destiny - Another End' (https://archiveofourown.org/works/22494097) where someone else was a chosen child instead of Taichi. Read that if that helps to understand this chapter. I enjoyed writing about Ryo. I seemed to end up writing adventure story for him.
> 
> Digimon is not mine.

**Side: Akiyama Ryo**

***Flashback***

_**Sometime in 1980s** _

_In another dimension, a shadow of a boy with spiky hair was seen with a Dragon Warrior Digimon facing a certain Digimon which transcended time and dimension._

_"Oh... You've decided to come and silence me after everything I had done for you, boy?" The Digimon snarled at the figure who seemed to be unmoved about it._

_"Part of you is still a Dramon Digimon hence WarGreymon's Dramon killer will work on you. Finish him, WarGreymon!" The boy said coldly._

_"That's why you're the leader of the Chosen Children, you are smart. Even so, you're not well-liked by them." The Digimon laughed mocking at him as his data began to break down due to WarGreymon's dramon killer._

_"This is the dog eat dog world where the strong survives. I'm done with you even though you had saved my life." The boy replied. The Digimon merely continued laughing as his data was dissipating in the air. His objective was accomplished in this dimension anyway._

_"You're going to lose everything which aren't supposed to be yours hahaha!" His voice echoed in the boy and WarGreymon's mind._

_"Yagami Taichi can never take anything which belongs to me, NEVER!" He screamed in his mind not wanting his partner to learn what he had done to his best friend._

* * *

_Akiyama Ryo was thrown to another time in the Digital World. It was another game by his nemesis Milleniumon. What was he up to this time? Monodramon was not very happy with the turns of the events. It felt like Ryo was looking forward to see Milleniumon._

_"Well, since I'm your partner, I'm sticking with you all the way, to the ends of the world." Monodramon declared folding his arms. Ryo, on the other hands, asked him to hush. Some thing was going on._

_"Part of you is still a Dramon Digimon hence WarGreymon's Dramon killer will work on you. Finish him, WarGreymon!" A voice was heard saying coldly._

_The duo was in an underground lab which was kept invisible from the outsider's eyes. Ryo heard something and they followed the direction of the voices to an area where Ryo urged his partner to hide with him at the corridor._

_Ryo determined that Milleniumon was talking to another boy. Had he got bored of him that he had to find another Chosen Child to toy with? Ryo gasped when he realized Milleniumon's data was breaking down. WarGreymon was spotted in the dark._

_"WarGreymon? Isn't that Yagami's partner Digimon?" Ryo wondered as he did not really get a clear view of the his partner. That was definitely not Yagami's voice._

_"That's why you're the leader of the Chosen Children, you are smart. Even so, you're not well-liked by them." The Digimon laughed mocking at him as his data began to break down due to WarGreymon's dramon killer._

_"This is the dog eat dog world where the strong survives. I'm done with you even though you had saved my life." The boy replied. The Digimon merely continued laughing as his data dissipated in the air. His objective was accomplished in this dimension anyway._

_"You're going to lose everything which aren't supposed to be yours hahaha!"_

_"Yagami Taichi can never take anything which belongs to me, NEVER!" Ryo could hear these in his mind even though the two of them did not say it out loud._

_Milleniumon was left dying when Ryo and Monodramon found him after WarGreymon left with his partner._

_"Break the Vault, Chosen Child. Only then the cycle will break." A feminine voice was echoed around them. Ryo turned his head around in search for the source. He hated to admit he was trembling. There was no time to encounter another adversary as powerful as Milleniumon._

_"What's wrong child of human? Can't do it?" A Digimon appeared before them which startled him. She seemed like a cat-like beast, or rather she was an adorable cat-like angel with golden wings. Monodramon took a liking on her. Milleniumon was a little surprised that she actually existed. As far as he was concerned, only the three great angels Digmon had the access to the "Kernel" but he was also aware of the rumour of the fourth Digimon who had the access to the realm._

_"Rasielmon. You're the Digimon that foresee everything in the world from the "Kernel"." The Digimon Tactician scoffed at his luck. If she preferred to, she could erase him although she was unable to control the 'how'._

_"Without this, the Chosen Children will be able to retain their memories after their adventure and the destiny will be on their hands. Given the memories, can they handle the consequences that came with it?" Milleniumon was actually curious to know Rasielmon's plan. Unfortunately he would not be around to witness it._

_The Vault acted like a server and it contained negativity from the children who had been through tragedies after tragedies across the eras. Once destroyed, there was no going back. Chosen Children sacrificed later on would not be reconfigured unless a reboot was triggered by the one who desired harmony. That include Ryo who was thought to have 'sacrificed' because of this Vault many years in the future._

_"To create a new dimension that has a possibility to defy 'destiny'." Ryo understood her intention._

_"I can help you but I have a condition." Ryo looked up to the golden beast Digimon with an eye of determination. "Save Milleniumon. You'll be able to do it right?"_

_Milleniumon's eyes widened hearing his words. Save him who caused them so much pain?_

_"Ryo!" Monodramon wanted to stop him. Rasielmon paused at the young boy's determined eyes._

_"You have my word, human child."_

_"Monodramon!" Ryo raised his D-Ark, he was fired up. Monodramon evolved to Cyberdramon, matrix evolution occurred and Justimon torn down the place without any hesitation. Rasielmon nodded in contentment. Justimon reverted to Ryo and Monodramon._

_"Can you save him?" Ryo asked Rasielmon almost pleading._

_"That comes with a price..." Ryo did not like what he hear. He would have to sacrifice his partner Digimon. Ryo became reluctant._

_"Ryo. Our game was over and I have no more interest in you. You have won." Milleniumon attempted to talk Ryo out of this. By then, Milleniumon's body was becoming more transparent. Even if Milleniumon was to be defeated, Ryo would like the honour to do so. How could he leave him in the lurch?_

_In order to save Milleniumon, Monodramon despite being reluctant, looking at how badly Ryo wanted to try to save his nemesis decided to take a risk. Monodramon forced a jogress evolution between them, and they became a Digiegg. Ryo was unable to react._

_Rasielmon understood. It was too complicated for a boy of his age to make such a difficult decision. In time to come, the one who desired harmony would be bringing in kids like him from the current time for an experiment when the Digital World fall into chaos. The children would remember their experience and their experience would not be in vain._

_"Human child, I have my 'destiny' to fulfill. Until the time has come for us meet again at the 'Land of Wonder'." With that, Rasielmon raised her hands and sent Ryo and the Digiegg to where he belonged._

***End Flashback***

* * *

**Year 2010**

Akiyama Ryo patted his partner, Monodramon's head and pulled him into a hug.

"That's so gross of you, Ryo." Monodramon commented at Ryo's sniffing.

"Who ask you to put in so much effort to come for me? I'm just touched." Ryo admitted. Monodramon had arrived in this dimension in search for Ryo.

"We just agreed to go all out to find you. Besides, you didn't leave any word for the lady who had been waiting for you for your first date." Monodramon explained on the situation in the Tamers' Dimension.

"I'm sorry." Ryo sighed in despondence. Since he woke up to this dimension, he felt really helpless. Ryo found himself submerged in water in some kind of capsule.

* * *

***Flashback***

_**Year 2005** _

" _Eh?" Ryo was a little confused when he first woke up. He was in water and he could actually breathe in it. He looked around and noticed a few people in lab coats typing away. They seemed to be working on some research. Beside his capsule, there was another one with another boy with huge brown hair. He was unconscious._

" _This is… Yagami? So now I become a lab rat?" Ryo was surprisingly calm after noticing tubes and needs hooked on his arms and he knew the person beside him. Those people must be discussing about them even if he could not hear them._

" _Reboot is a success. We managed to locate these two and another one in Hikarigaoka." Ryo was relieved he had some tricks up his sleeves because he needed these skills to survive. He could read lips._

_He needed to find a way to save themselves._

" _Reboot?" He did not like it. He realized he missed his date with his love interest in the other world._

_Ryo escaped the day they were sent to the hospital. Rehabilitation therapy and attending schools again. Not his cup of tea. He wanted to find his way back to where he decided to live in. He had made his decision there and there and he wanted to keep it that way. If possible, he wanted to remain there for the rest of his life._

" _I'm sorry, Yagami." Ryo realized he was too weak to barely save himself to even save Taichi from these hungry researchers who wanted them as research samples for they so-called 'came back to life' after their 'supposed death'. Ryo hid behind a patch of grass in his 'lap rat gown' when he saw people searching for him. He could only watch Taichi as he was being wheeled into an ambulance._

_Ryo escaped and adapted to the situation quickly. With his hacking ability, he found out that the organization that held him captive was known as 'Incorporated Administrative Agency' later on._

_He managed to delete all his existence from the database, but he could not help it when there were always eyes on him stalking him all over Japan._

_Ryo decided to lead his life as normal as possible. In any case, his D-Ark was missing. He suspected the Agency had possession of it and he had no choice but to bide his time._

***End Flashback***

* * *

**Year 2010**

It really came as a surprise when Ryo bumped into Monodramon who was in disguise as a soft toy in a crane machine in Akihabara. The players were trying to get him.

Ryo sweatdropped to watch how the player missed as Monodramon would manage to fall off the grip. He tried to contain his laughter. Poor Monodramon had saw him, and his eyes pleading Ryo to catch him.

"Let me try!" Ryo pulled up his sleeves. He was 'very confident' with his skills. Ryo was a regular player in arcades in his attempt to lead his most normal life in this dimension.

Needless to say, Monodramon seemed to cling on the catcher on purpose so he could land into the chute for Ryo to pick him up. Ryo almost burst out laughing when he finally collected him from the chute. The audiences around him including the previous player could not believe their eyes. They had spent a bomb whereas Ryo got him in just one try.

"It's a number game on top of your skills. Continue to play, the grip will tighten once a certain number is reached. Lastly it's all about luck." Ryo explained the rationale.

"May I buy him off you? "The player before Ryo was a college student named Himura Toki asked Ryo. Monodramon shook his head pleading Ryo who was actually grinning mischievously not to give in.

"How about the device in the pocket? That's a Digivice, isn't it? Can I buy it? With that I can be a Chosen Child, isn't it?" Himura asked in curiosity. Ryo was a little surprised to meet someone who was not a Chosen Child to know about the Digivice. Ryo dug the pocket of Monodramon's overalls and saw it. His eyes beamed with happiness. That was a D-Ark.

"No, he's my best friend. No, I mean this is meant for my best friend." Ryo waved Monodramon like a softtoy and fled the scene leaving the student in disappointment.

"O-ouch, ouch ouch." Monodramon groaned at the blue-black patches all over his body when they settled down on a bench in the nearby park. These players really went all out to catch him. Ryo just tried to control his laughter.

"Stop laughing, Ryo. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be here." Monodramon reprimanded his long-lost partner.

"Hahaha. I'm so sorry." Ryo laughed out loud in tears. He could not believe an all-serious Digimon like Monodramon was such a joke. Ryo took the Digivice from his pocket. It was really his D-Ark. He never lost it. It was always with Monodramon. Monodramon heaved a sigh of relief seeing how relieve Ryo was to see his D-Ark.

"You disappeared and she found it nearby." Monodramon explained. "Takato took the chance to open up the dimension gate to send me through a few days ago when the barrier was weakened for some reason."

"For some reason, I ended up here. I believe Ryo will be here." Monodramon said proudly and he was right. "Ryo, you looked a lot older than when I last saw you a few days ago."

Ryo smiled. "It had been five years over here."

"Five years?" Monodramon almost going to jump. "How on earth you can stay here for five years? Am I at the wrong time? Should I go back further in time to find you earlier? But it won't change the outcome here and now."

Ryo patted his partner on his head. "It's fine. You're definitely in the right time. We're meant to be here at this period of time, I'm sure of it, right, Milleniumon?"

"Ryo." Monodramon's persona changed into a darker mode.

"Milleniumon." Ryo greeted his partner's other self.

"The boy is definitely here in this dimension. In what form, I do not know." The Digimon informed Ryo.

"The Chosen Child who attacked you?" Ryo questioned his partner again "He can travel through dimension?"

"He's capable of doing anything to ensure his victory." Milleniumon thought back of the Chosen Child he saved in another dimension from a certain death. They were rather similar. Ryo hugged the Digimon who felt insecure and needed to manipulate Digimon and even Chosen Children to ensure his survival.

_"It was said that you're the most powerful Digimon, the time god who can manipulate time and destroy dimensions. The fact is you're the weakest Ultimate Digimon I had ever met on my journey." Ryo ever said to him once upon a time._

"It was all in the past. Let's just move on." Ryo urged his partner.

_"That's right. It's either he lives, or you live. If you die and he lives, he will take everything from you including your partner Digimon. You know it yourself." The Digimon Tactician whispered to him in the shadow after saving him from a certain car accident._

* * *

It did not take long for Ryo to locate one of their targets, but it ended up in failure as Ken's bond with Wormmon was broken. He saved him but he lost his memories as Chosen Child.

"Is the Chief of Agency manipulating Heliosmon?" Izumi Koushirou asked on their way to Colorado to meet up with Wallace, his business partner. Ryo was the driver. He was a little annoyed by the Child of Knowledge. He knew too much for his own good that the Agency wanted to remove him.

"If I didn't know too much, you wouldn't have come for me." Ryo directed a stare on the orange-head and refocused on his driving. In a sense he was right. Because he was a valuable asset, even the enemy needed his intellect to use him. The battle of intellect between him and the genius professor, Menoa Belucci which he emerged victorious was definitely a well-known tale in the Digimon Community.

Ryo was the one who rescued Koushirou and Tentomon from their death by manipulating the dimension tunnel with the help of Milleniumon.

"Heliosmon is similar to Eosmon. Menoa was absorbed by Eosmon at one point. Does Heliosmon have possession of a Chosen Child?"

"Data." Ryo added while paying attention on the road. He could not help but to commend him to come so close with his theory. Listening to Koushirou did help him to put the pieces together.

"Data." Koushirou stopped typing. "Is it Taichi-san?"

"Will that stop you from fighting him?" Monodramon asked Koushirou out of curiosity. Fighting their comrades could be tough.

"Koushirou-han…?" Tentomon was worried.

"The Chief is the one you should be concerned for." Ryo finished as he slammed on the brake. Standing afar was another friend he was familiar with whether in this or the Tamers' dimension . before his humble cottage. That was only one of the properties he owned in this area.

"Wallace, they are here!" The twin Digimon with huge ears, Terriermon and Lopmon jumped around him. Wallace grew up into a fine gentleman. He was popular with girls as he had the glib of the tongue like a certain Takeru from Japan.

"Koushirou, long time no see!" He waved as Koushirou alighted. Wallace gave him a pat on his back. It was not easy. To think they already predicted that the Agency would get rid of Koushirou to open up another possibility to this timeline.

"This gave us a chance since we are aware that a third timeline can be created here and now." Wallace shared with them while Terriermon was frying eggs on a pan, Monodramon and Lopmon assisting him in the cooking while Tentomon was curious enough to learn.

"How is the chance of having all the pieces on the board at this juncture? This had never happened other than the one with the Crest of Miracles." Wallace continued his analysis drawing on the piece of paper.

"You can have two different timelines with endless possibilities which are known as dimensions. Some key events will certainly happen in different timing." Wallace proceed to explain to Koushirou.

"He wanted to control the new timeline." Ryo shared his suspicion folding his arms.

"Chief?" Koushirou inquired.

"I just don't get it why he wanted to do that since he has the life he desired in his own dimension. He had even unlocked the dimensional gate." Wallace thought hard. Something must be missing.

"Mochizuki mentioned not in one of her memories, he succeeded. Oh, I mean I'm in touch with Mochizuki Meiko. She really helped me by providing me a lot of data." Ryo admitted. He was exchanging information with her and her father after he found out her father's secret experimenting with Digimon.

"This is coercion, Akiyama-san." Koushirou did a facepalm. Not even he dared to do that to her. Mimi would scream at him again.

"She is a willing party. She wanted to see if another timeline can be created without any sacrifice with our own hands." Ryo said. With her help, Ryo was able to rescue Koushirou in the nick of time using the dimension gate sequence his D-Ark which was a function his prototype Digivice possessed.

"Create the future with our own hands." Koushirou repeated. This seemed so practical yet so farfetched.

Lopmon helped set the breakfast by placing plates before the three young men. Tentomon helped distribute the toast bread. Monodramon was frying the turkey hams and Terriermon set the scrambled eggs.

"Breakfast will be ready soon." Lopmon shouted at the boys who were engrossed in their discussion.

Koushirou suggested they would look for someone after breakfast. That was a message Kamiya Taichi of this dimension left on his phone he deciphered.

"Nishijima Daigo's location."

* * *

That was how they came face-to-face with the former leader of the Chosen Children, Nishijima Daigo who survived the explosion in Yggdrasil base.

"That's the former location where legendary Vault was in. I had destroyed the Vault when I time-traveled to the 80s." Ryo informed them. He had to do so in order not to let Milleniumon or evil Digimon from any other timeline find it to manipulate with events in the future.

"This is why you still have the memories of your adventures, Nishijima-san." Ryo felt guilty to have cause him to end up in his current predicament and even lost a few of his friends. Ultimately he changed the fate of the people of this dimension. However, Daigo smiled in contentment.

"I'm glad. We're here because of what we had been through. No matter good or bad, our experience was what made us." Daigo said to the young men.

"You managed to find me." Daigo went straight to the point. He had planned out all sort of possibilities in his head within an extremely short amount of time. He was expecting Taichi to find this place and continued from where he stopped.

"Was he… ?" Daigo's voices trailed off. He had expected that fate could not be defied. Daigo's case was an exception as his survival was a miracle created by the boy of miracles.

"Nishijima-sensei, your gamble had paid off." Koushirou had heard from Takeru the unbelievable news that Taichi had managed to pull through despite being in critical condition and had woken up from his coma recently.

"Takeru-kun is unable to share with me the details. Taichi-san is still hospitalized as he was suffering from some complication from the gunshot." Koushirou clenched his fist from the excitement despite his worries. He could not wait to go back to Japan to see him.

"That's really a great news. Meno-chan made good her words and kept him safe." Daigo broke down. He knew it was not going to be easy. Taichi had defied all odds and survived. Koushirou slammed the table in frustration.

"If Menoa Belucci intended to keep him safe, she wouldn't have shot him." Koushirou stood up, his fist trembled with anger. Ryo wanted to calm him down but he left it as that. He was unable to tell them that he was also at fault for not taking Taichi with him when he escaped from the facility. Monodramon patted his arms to comfort him.

"Thanks, partner." Ryo smiled. His partner knew him the best.

"Nevertheless, I believe in Meno-chan. She was after all my comrade." Daigo could not defend them in the past, he could at least do something for them right? Like what the Chosen Children had taught him.

Daigo led them into the storehouse behind his cottage.

"Eh? You have a car when you can't drive?" Wallace was admiring his antique car walking up and down. He would pay to collect it. Daigo smiled wheeling himself to the door of the car. A mechanism was triggered as Daigo started the engine of an antique car. A door behind the car was opened, and an entrance was revealed to them.

"One of Menoa's secret labs." Daigo informed them. "She had created a backup just in case the main one is destroyed or found by the Agency."

"We can access Heliosmon's 'Neverland' from here." Wallace exclaimed in understanding. He could be able to see Neverland for himself. He had never step foot to the Digital World before for some reason, but he would be happy to explore a brand new world outside his world.

Koushirou and Tentomon stopped his playful business partner and his partner Digimon from getting too excited. They needed a plan.

Ryo shrugged. Holding up his D-Ark, he realized these people would not be his team companions if he had not destroyed the Vault.

"I'm sure we can do something." Milleniumon persona said to Ryo. This was the first time he was optimistic. Ryo smirked at his partner.

_"Why? Why is it that despite all odds against you, you can have us surrounded and forced us into a corner."_ _Milleniumon demanded him for the answers for the defeat he had been enduring in various dimensions whether they are Mugendramon, Kimeramon or his countless defeat against Ryo or Ken._

_"Protecting each other, helping each other, supporting each other, believing in each other. That's what we're relying on. We have faith that evil can never triumph over the good. Our partners and our heart beat as one. There is no way we'll lose!"_

"Yes, my partner." Ryo extended his hands to his long-time nemesis for a handshake. Monodramon in Milleniumon paused for a moment and he took it.

"There is nothing we can't do if we are together."

* * *

The few of them entered a very different world. Even Daigo could move freely, it was as though they were in an underwater world. Yes, they were in an aquarium, and they were the 'exhibits' swimming in the tank. Koushirou did not know if he should laugh or cry. He was an octopus with Tentomon. No one actually notice, isn't it? Wallace was definitely a jellyfish same with his twins partner Digimon.

Ryo saw Daigo, the whale swam towards the direction where he thought there were, human visitors?

_"Oniichan, there are so many fishes. Let's take more pictures!" Hikari pointed at the group of fishes swimming together excitedly." She was kneeling beside an older boy in coat with a knitted hat on his head talking to him gently. Taichi was in a wheelchair smiling and nodding excitedly despite looking pale and worn out._

"Yagami?" Daigo swam towards him and eventually found a good spot to watch them. It was nice to be fishes he realized as a joke. Yagami looked really ill. He was freezing. Daigo felt his heartache but was relieved when he saw Agumon came took his hands and rubbed them with his own to keep Taichi warm.

_"I wonder if we had known each other before?" Agumon asked with a smile while he continued to rub Taichi's hand keep him warm. "Whoever become your partner is the luckiest Digimon."_

_"Don't tease me. You know I can't be a Chosen Child. Even if I can, it's too late, Agumon. But Osamu is lucky to have you as his partner. You guys made the best team." Taichi said with a sincere smile. He did not know why. Tears could not stop falling down his cheek._ _Another boy of his age with blue spiky hair in spectacle came over and he was someone Ryo recognized._

"He's Ken's late brother. Ichijouji Osamu. Is he Agumon's partner?" Ryo swam beside Daigo and pushed him aside to get a clearer view.

"Eh?" Daigo thought he heard wrongly. Taichi was not a Chosen Child and he was surprised when he saw Osamu had a Digivice clipped on his pocket. Osamu and Taichi remained affixed at the sight of the swimming fishes. Ryo nodded to Daigo. Ichijouji Osamu was alive past the time of his supposed death.

Which means there were two possible candidates to Crest of Courage. Daigo tugged his pocket for the crest he was given.

* * *

The scene changed and the group and their Digimon fell to an area with so many broken clocks around. This certainly reminded Ryo of the time he spent in Tamers' dimension where he first reunited with his comrades in Tamers dimension.

"Ahh, Koushirou?" Tentomon was the first to react.

"Please get off me." Koushirou complained as the rest actually piled on top of him. They were lucky as Daigo's wheelchair crashed a distance away.

"Sorry!" The group leaped away from Koushirou quickly.

"Most of the clocks are broken. There are modern digital clocks and there are antiques. Some will definitely worth some money." Wallace remarked as Lopmon and Terriermon were trying to make one of the needles move.

"This is a time dungeon. My quest for the answer." A coarse voice was heard which Monodramon almost jumped. He jumped on Ryo's back and peeked from his back.

"This place is like a rest stop before you embark to another journey to fight destiny?" Ryo knew. It felt similar to the Vault. There was someone submerged within a barrier and he seemed to be bounded on one of the huge clock on top of the tower.

"Oh my god! Is that the Chosen Child data Heliosmon absorbed?" Wallace raised his hand constricting the view with his clenched hand to try to focus on the object afar.

"What?!" Koushirou requested Tentomon to check it out.

Daigo pulled out his binoculars and his eyes widened as his vision managed to focus on the target. The person gave him a small and sad smile. Daigo knew exactly who that was. He was glad that Nishijima-sensei managed to make it home safely.

"Yagami!" Daigo pushed his wheelchair hard attempting to reach him.

"Koushirou-han, that's Taichi-han." Koushirou was about to run when Tentomon continued, "He is wearing the same High School uniform Koushirou-han used to wear."

"Let me go and get him." Ryo and Monodramon nodded. Monodramon evolved to Cyberdramon and he did a matrix evolution with Ryo and Justimon flew towards Taichi in High School uniform.

Justimon were stopped by a barrier as a Digimon who was breathing fire emerged behind the clock.

"There you are, Heliosmon. I was just wondering when you will appear." Justimon tried to stay cool. There was always a guardian to break through before he could get to the treasure. Looks like he was the guardian who would "guard" the prize.

"You do not belong." Heliosmon breathed out fire and Justimon dodged on time dragging Daigo who was in the line of fire along.

"Take care of him." Justimon ordered Koushirou and Wallace. Koushirou was in a shock. His finger was trembling. That was the Digimon Menoa said she had created using Taichi's data. He wondered if he would be hurting him if he fought.

"Let us help." Wallace nodded. He would send Terriermon to assist him first.

"Terriermon evolves to… Galgomon." Galgomon took down a series of attack coming at him. Wallace needed a gauge on his power to come up with a strategy.

"Get a hold on yourself, Izumi." Wallace grabbed Koushirou's arm, and carried Lopmon on his other.

"That's the legendary Chosen Child, Yagami Taichi?" Wallace took the binocular off Daigo and looked into the lenses. He was getting serious.

"Was he… trapped here all along after he saved me?" Daigo muttered in disbelief. The three men were hiding behind a wall.

"Anything is possible." Lopmon spoke up. As Lopmon was an angel Digimon in his Ultimate form, he was much more sensitive than the rest. Wallace would prefer to keep him as a trump card if they were forced to fight.

"Let us retreat first. I don't think they wanna be friends." Galgomon signaled the group to take a look at the bunch of Digimon approaching them.

"Hawkmon, Wormmon!" Tentomon could see those two from a distance and many more Digimon that was said did not belong. Were their data trapped here? Justimon picked up Wallace and Koushirou while Galgomon took off with Daigo. This would not be a good time to fight.

"Let us regroup." However, they were met by a huge enclosed crystal-like ball emerging from the group effective trapping all of them in. The Digimon were forced to regress to their Child form. That was a technology from Digimon Kaiser time.

A sinister laughter was heard. The man with brown hair in office suit had arrived.

"The legendary Chief of the Incorporated Administrative Agency." Daigo recognized, stealing a glance of Taichi who was bounded up on the clock.

He threw a person he was carrying over his shoulder to the ground and kicked him on his stomach and had him slide to where the others were trapped and locked him in.

"Taichi-san!" Koushirou shouted recognizing the unconscious young man in blue shirt he wore over his white T-shirt and black pants. They were finally reunited. Taichi sweating with cold sweat and he was clutching his chest in pain. Wallace removed his own jacket and Koushirou helped to rest Taichi's head on Wallace folded jacket. Koushirou was well aware Taichi's heart ailment was acting up and they needed to help him.

"That's too easy." The Chief laughed at the stupidity of the Chosen Children.

"That's enough! You should have the life you had desired since you have the Crest of Miracles, Chief? Or should I address you as Yagami Taichi?" Daigo demanded to know why. The rest were shocked at the sight of three versions of Taichis appearing in the same location.

Daigo stole a glance at the High School boy above. He did not understand. These two were in possession of the Crest of Miracles then he realised, the boy above did not have the crest on his wrist. The man was the one with Miracles. The man's image was sizzling in and out of existence.

"Izumi Koushirou in my dimension is indeed amazing. There is nothing he can't do. Even a hologram can look so real as I can't be here in this dimension in person. The Crest of Miracles is in my control. Did you think you have any chance to defy destiny?" The male flicked his finger and Heliosmon absorbed Taichi who was bounded on the clock into his body and evolved while the rest watched in horror.

"As for me, like Homeostasis preferred the Child of Light as vessel, I'm looking for a body to use and it happened that this boy is perfect as my vessel." The man in suit remarked clenching and releasing his fist as if he was trying out this body.

"Don't tell me." Daigo muttered in desperation.

The man sizzled and changed his form. It was not Heliosmon he used as a decoy obviously. A male resembling Digimon Kaiser with a cape appeared before them.

"Yagami Taichi was just a façade, This is my real identity…" Ryo recognized the young boy whose photo in Ken's apartment he had etched in his mind. He was now all grown up.

"Ichijouji Osamu?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we have all the Taichi from my other stories (Takenouchi/Yagami Taichi from 'The Alternate Adventure', Child of Miracles, Yagami Taichi from 'The Alternate Destiny', Kamiya Taichi from 'The Alternate Destiny - Kizuna and the mysterious Taichi from the future) in the same dimension. How will things turn out? Let's see where my inspiration leads me.


	20. Side: Osamu (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taichi is not the only one who is fighting his destiny. Ichijouji Osamu had his similar experience. He wanted to be better than Taichi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is related to my side story 'Digimon Adventure 02: The Alternate Destiny - Another End'. Osamu's setting in my story is similar to Taichi in a sense. They were fighting for survival. I have split Osamu's point of view into two parts since it's getting lengthy. Only Taichi from the Alternate Adventure knew Osamu very well.
> 
> Digimon is not mine.

A Digivice appeared before him and his brother. The Ichijouji brothers watched the Digivice in awe. Ichijouji Osamu was especially mesmerized by it. It was something he felt only certain privilege Chosen people would have it. He wanted to be one of them. He had been obsessed with the Digivice because his new friend had one which he found it unique. By right he should have everything because he could do everything.

"This is mine."

"But nothing happened. It was just there." Osamu was disappointed; maybe it was just really an ordinary alarm clock.

Osamu was fuming when he caught Ken in his room holding to the Digivice. He actually blew up. He slapped the Digivice off his hand scaring his younger brother. Ken was really shocked.

"Don't touch my stuff without my permission." He snarled in fury.

"Sorry." Ken apologized in a timid voice.

"This is mine!" He had to remind him over and over again convincing him that it was his.

"I'm sorry." Ken apologized again.

"Going through someone's desk without asking. Only worst kind of human do that." Osamu said. The fact was Osamu felt a little uneasy when his friend told him about the Digivice. It was fated that he managed to get his hand on one too so his friend was not the only special one.

"This is mine! Never touch it without my permission, you heard me?" Osamu yelled. "You're distracting from my studies. Get out of my room now!"

* * *

On the day when he was met his fate, a Digimon appeared before him when he thought he was seeing the light somewhere unknown. Osamu extended his hands to reach for the light.

Osamu found himself lying in a beam of light, beneath him was a scenery from Odaiba. He saw eight children extending their hands with a device which looked familiar. The children were being drawn by the beam of colorful lights which extended to the sky. The sky was taken over by images of unknown landscapes.

And the person who led was a boy around his age, his huge and wild hair caught his attention, but he was unable to remember who that was.

"Taichi?" He suddenly mumbled. The name came to his mind.

"Are you alright with dying right now?" A mysterious voice asked him. Osamu paused. He recalled he came home from school and met with an accident because some boys who were jealous of him ganged up and pushed him to the road to create an accident. Osamu realized he was too young to be dying now.

"If given a chance, what do you wish to change?" A lot went through his mind. He still had so much he wanted to do. He wanted to finish his school and become someone powerful because only he can do it. Looking back at Taichi and his friends who waved goodbye to their loved ones, he was overcome by a sudden surge of jealousy. He had the same device, but he had not discovered what he could do and there he was dying. He could not accept it. He just couldn't. His eyes snapped open.

"I want to become someone like him. No, I want to replace him! What he can do, I'm sure I can do better than him!" Osamu stated.

"Oh yes, of course, I'll grant you a life where you can have your wish." The mysterious voice suddenly sounded sinister announced and Ichijouji Osamu with a gentle expression turned malicious. He would experience what his friend, Taichi had been through and he would do better than him.

* * *

**Year 1999**

Ichijouji Osamu thus experienced a new life as a Chosen Child without his prior memory. Yagami Taichi caught his attention because he defeated him and his team during their inter-school soccer match. Despite Osamu's well-planned strategy, somehow, he was overpowered by Taichi whose strategy was off his calculation.

On the fated day in the summer camp which his school had also participated, he managed to replace Taichi as the leader of the Chosen Child. He was reunited with Taichi on their quest for the eighth Chosen Child before Vandemon finds her. Taichi wanted to help protect Hikari that he followed wherever Osamu went. A typical sis-con was what he would describe Taichi back then.

It was then Taichi shared with him how he almost got Hikari killed when he was younger by forcing her to play soccer with him when she was sick, Osamu relented on his request because he himself was an elder brother.

After the defeat of Vandemon, the eight Chosen Children were to head to the Digital World. Taichi did not want Hikari to go. He was willing to take her place. Unfortunately, that was not going to happen.

"I promise to bring her back safe and sound." Osamu was determined to win this. He reassured his rival that Hikari would be safe in their hands. Besides, it won't be just him. There were seven of them who would take good care of Hikari.

"I believe in you, Osamu and Agumon." Taichi's hands were trembling when he clenched them in fist.

"Well we're going." Osamu announced. The eight of them jumped into the pillar of colorful lights and were raised to the air. The children were calling out for their parents when they spotted them in the crowd on the ground. Osamu did not find his family in the midst of the crowd as they were all in Tamachi. He felt a sense of loneliness.

"Oniichan, otousan, okaasan!" Hikari called out in tears. Osamu turned to Hikari's direction. This was the first time Hikari was leaving to somewhere faraway and her family were not with her.

"HKARI!" Taichi's mother did not want Hikari to go. Taichi stopped his mother from running towards the light by hugging her. He hated himself for not being able to do anything about it. For the sake of the world, he had to let Hikari go.

"Don't worry. We'll definitely be back!" Hikari shouted assuring her family.

"We're off!" The children shouted before disappearing from their view.

* * *

It was not easy but Osamu did manage to lead the team and won against the Dark Masters. However, the final boss of their quest, Apocalymon did not show up.

* * *

**Year 2003**

It was spring. Sakura were in their full bloom. Sakura were blossoming outside the window from their direction.

Osamu was sitting by Taichi's bedside in the hospital after school. His friend was lying in coma being hooked up with many tubes and ventilator in the ICU. He felt guilty. It had been four months since Demon's assault. If only he was observant enough to the surrounding like Taichi was and he would not have been this badly wounded.

Every night, whenever Osamu closed his eyes, he would see Demon raising Taichi's body up in the air with his claw impaled through his body. He wondered what Taichi was thinking when Demon was holding him up other than the shock and the indescribable pain before he was tossed to the ground a distance away like a rag doll.

Taichi was impaled through his heart and was suffering from serious head concussion. He ended up in vegetative state and no one could tell when he would wake up. His hair was trimmed short after a brain surgery. Taichi had also gone through a series of surgeries to repair his damaged heart. He had crashed a number of times but never failed to come back to them so far.

Osamu scoffed to himself on the irony. He was supposed to take care of Taichi's sister, but Taichi ended up saving his younger brother's life. He was a Chosen Child who was obligated to protect the Real World and the Digital World and that was not even Taichi's responsibility but yet Taichi was the one paying the price when the enemy Digimon survived and returned with vengeance.

Osamu hated to say, despite being a genius he did not know how to pacify Taichi's mother when she got emotional after learning what happened to her innocent son who was not even involved in Digimon incidents. They had been through many dangers but never one that had inflicted was life threatening injuries like what happened to Taichi. The threat having monsters roaming the Real World was real. Anyone might lose their loved ones without realising. Osamu swore that he would keep Hikari and the rest safe.

"Come back to us soon." Osamu ruffled his friend's hair gently with a smile. There was no response from his unconscious friend other than the fogging of his friend's oxygen mask and the humming and beeping of the hospital equipment monitoring his condition.

Osamu spotted Yamato and Koushirou who were here to visit Taichi when he walked out of his room. Osamu did not know why he waited for them to come out of his room and even hid himself in a corner to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"There's no change to Taichi-san's condition. No one knows when he'll wake up." Koushirou commented dejectedly while Yamato was inserting coins into the vending machines.

"He's only fourteen." Koushirou shuddered at the thought of if the same thing happened to them. They could lose their lives.

"Are you scared?" Yamato noticed his fear. Honestly, Yamato was afraid too. They won against Demon back then with Osamu's lead. But what about in the future if an evil Digimon invade the Real World again? Would they have the courage to charge into danger again?

"I heard from my father that his medical fees are enormous. Insurance are not covering damages from Digimon incidents. If Taichi-san is not waking up any time soon, his parents might be forced to pull the plug. " Koushirou explained. "Hikari-san's family are not well-to-do financially."

Yamato punched his fist against the wall in frustration. The reality was harsh.

"We need to help Taichi. We owed it to him that we could move freely to deal with Digimon. To think I ended up asking him for advice when I can't agree with Osamu. Taichi shouldn't be involved at all. Why is he not even a Chosen Child? He'll make a great leader." Yamato lamented lowering himself to pick up his can of coffee. His fist was red from the punch earlier.

"He convinced us to follow Osamu's lead. When things get tough while we can always confide in him." Koushirou added hugging his laptop. "Taichi-san is really kind. If it wasn't for him, I won't even be in soccer club or even open up to any one of you. He gave me the confidence to start a computer club."

Osamu was getting pissed. No wonder Taichi was always trying to remind him to minimize the kill if they could be sent back to the Digital World. The group had been using him as a mediator. It was clear that the group had been heavily influenced by Taichi before he realized. Was it because he is Hikari's brother? But no one sought advices with Daisuke's sister, Miyako's siblings or Jou's brothers, wasn't it?

Staying in Odaiba allowed them to interact more with Taichi as compared to him who stayed in Tamachi. The more Osamu thought about it, the more infuriated he became. He was their leader for goodness sake. If it wasn't Osamu's relentless mindset when faced with the enemy Digimon, all of them would have died.

Daisuke and his brother were too weak. If they had gone for the kill instead of sealing him in the Dark Ocean which obviously Demon had found a way to return, Taichi would not have landed in his current state. Osamu was sure his decision was right.

"Serve him right." He no longer felt guilt towards Taichi's condition. He was even glad that Taichi was out of the way. Osamu decided not to comment or say anything in their future battles. He decided to step aside and leave the team to do what they feel was right. Sooner or later, they would realise how much they needed him.

* * *

Agumon was following Osamu quietly while they walked by the coast in the seaside. Agumon's stomach was growling with hunger but he did not dare to speak up. Osamu sat down and stared at the sea after some time.

Unlike the bond the others have with their partners, Agumon and Osamu's partnership were mainly due to obligation to protect the two worlds. Whenever Agumon tried to act friendly with Osamu like Wormmon and Ken did, he would be told off. They were only working partners, nothing more.

"Agumon." Agumon became alert when Osamu called him. He was not supposed to talk unless he was called but if he was distracted when Osamu was talking, he would be reprimanded.

Osamu pat the sand on the ground and urged Agumon to sit beside him. He wanted to talk.

"Will you prefer Taichi as your partner if you have a choice?" Osamu asked. Agumon's heart lurched at his question. Taichi was Hikari's brother. He was courageous, kind and resourceful. Everyone liked him. When his eyes first fell on Taichi in the Real World, he felt that whoever became his partner was the luckiest Digimon. Even so, Taichi was not his partner.

"I'm Osamu's partner, not anyone else. " Agumon stated placing both his claws over Osamu's hand on the sand.

"Isn't Taichi a better leader than me?" Agumon was confused by his sudden question about Taichi. Why was Osamu comparing himself against Taichi? He scratched his head with his claw. This was something he could not answer. After hanging around with Osamu for years, Agumon felt that Osamu was someone who was insecure and lonely. He wished Osamu would trust him more.

Osamu pulled Agumon into his arms for the very first time. Agumon's body felt stiffened to him. Did he dislike his hug? Osamu wanted to push him away in irritation but was stopped by Agumon who hugged Osamu tighter. He enjoyed it really. He had wanted to experience what other partner Digimon had with their partners. This was the first time Osamu hugged him.

"Osamu. I'll be with you no matter what." Agumon wanted to reassure him he would always be with him.

Agumon's stomach growled once more. That certainly caught Osamu's ears. Osamu pulled Agumon by his shoulder and faced him? Agumon rubbed his stomach in embarrassment. It was close to dinner time. Osamu paused for a moment before breaking into laughter. It was the first time Osamu laughed like this.

"Shall we have burgers?" Osamu asked his partner. Agumon nodded quickly.

"Alright. Let's go." Osamu stood up and started walking. Agumon stumbled after him.

Agumon told himself that Osamu was his one and only partner and that would never change. Even if he witnessed Osamu had his hand in causing Taichi's eventual demise four years later.

* * *

**Year 2007**

Osamu was almost knocked down by a car again. It happened because he was shoved by a group of students who wanted to teach him a lesson for being arrogant to the road when the traffic light had turned green.

Osamu's legs were frozen when the car was about to make contact with him. His eyes widened in fear. Was he going to die? He still had so many things he wanted to do.

An invisible force blocked him from harm.

That was the same force who granted him this life. He was dying for the same reason like in his previous life.

"How was that life?" The voice asked. Osamu found himself back to in the beam of light as he sat up right.

"Did you manage to do better than that boy you wish to replace?" The voice continued to ask. Osamu hated to admit that he lost.

"Tell me, how can I do better than him? What is it that he has I don't? Why does my friends rely on him instead of me? I'm their leader not him." Osamu asked in a cold voice. He was in denial.

* * *

Back in the Real World, Taichi woke up from his coma. Everybody was celebrating about it. What was there to celebrate when Taichi was dying without a heart transplant anyway? He had support from his friends encouraging him and egging him on. Osamu was still watching over Taichi to the extent of following him to the aquarium knowing that the rest would be distracted moving on their own.

_"He is everything better than you. He is kind, earnest, sincere, courageous and resourceful. The boy tends to put others before himself. They can count on him in times of need. That's what the others like about him. As for you, you're much more calculating. That's the difference." The voice replied._

_"In any case, he won't die since you're dead." The voice continued saying. "You were the most compatible donor. "_

_"Donor of what?" Osamu did not like what he hear. Once he was pronounced brain dead, his heart would be donated to Taichi and Taichi would be given a new lease of life._

_"It's either he lives, or you live. If you die and he lives, he will take everything from you including your partner Digimon. He isn't as cold-hearted as you. Unlike you, he is loved by everybody around you."_

_"What should I do? Should I just resign to my fate?" Osamu felt really unfair. He did not want to let them have their wishes._

_"I can help you of course with a condition." The voice said._

_"Tell me, I'm sure I can do it." Osamu requested._

_"Then…" Osamu's eyes widened._ _The Digimon would tell him his condition when the time comes._

* * *

That was how Osamu ended up getting his hands dirty to ensure Taichi's death on the day Diaboromon strike back. Taichi was tired and was resting on his friend's shoulder to watch the sunset after taking his medicine. The two friends were finally alone to have a heart-to-heart talk.

_"Yes, that Taichi boy is going to take everything away from you. He isn't as cold-hearted as you. Unlike you, he is loved by everybody around you."_ A sinister voice ranged in his mind. Osamu gritted his teeth. He had a plan to prevent that from happening.

_"Whoever become your partner is the luckiest Digimon."_ He recalled Agumon's words to Taichi in the aquarium.

"If there... is a... next... life, I'll want… to go…on an adventure… with you guys…" Taichi smiled weakly with tears beaming on his eyes which was threatening to close. At that point in time, Osamu was in turmoil. On one hand, he felt guilty towards him, on the other hand, he really hated him.

Osamu thought he heard something echoed in his mind from a far distant memory when he felt an increase of weight on his arms after a series of futile struggle coming from Taichi when he felt him finally stopped breathing. Taichi's head hit the ground with his eyes closed. Tears were seen trickling from the corner of the eyes as his hand fell limp by his side.

"I'm sorry, Taichi." Osamu choked in his tear crying hugging his best friend's limp body removing his hand which found itself over his nose and mouth. He realised that Taichi actually died with a smile even though he realised what he was doing to him at his final moment. Osamu looked at his trembling hand fearfully recalling what he had done.

Osamu amended Taichi's medicine administration record to introduce a certain drug to his IV to help Taichi the night before so that he felt well enough to fulfill his wish to see their battles with Diaboromon up close. He was the one who ensured Taichi had taken his own medicine earlier to complete the course of chemical reaction causing his ailing heart which had already overexerted itself to slow down and give out on him. Subconsciously, he covered both his nose and mouth to stop Taichi from struggling in order to assure his victory over his own fate.

"I'm sorry. I can't die in order to save you." Osamu muttered recalling a certain test he did a few weeks back heeding the advice of that Digimon who saved him from death. He could not believe it at first until he received the test report. He could not believe his best friend would take away everything from him initially but looking at how the rest interacted with him and his close shave with death, he knew he needed to act.

* * *

He would do anything to assure his victory. That included erasing his savior from his existence. He and Agumon agreed that being soft on the enemy was not an option.

"Part of you is still a Dramon Digimon hence WarGreymon's Dramon killer will work on you. Finish him, WarGreymon!" The boy said coldly.

"That's why you're the leader of the Chosen Children, you are smart. Even so, you're not well-liked by them." The Digimon laughed mocking at him as his data began to break down due to WarGreymon's dramon killer.

"This is the dog eat dog world where the strong survives. I'm done with you even though you had saved my life." The boy replied. The Digimon merely continued laughing as his data dissipated in the air.

"You're going to lose everything which aren't supposed to be yours hahaha!" The voice of that Digimon echoed in his head.

"Yagami Taichi can never take anything which belongs to me, NEVER!" He screamed in his mind not wanting his partner to learn what he had done to his best friend.

* * *

**Year 2010**

Time had passed and Osamu became an adult. Life had not been any easier. Digimon was feared by the society and he was unable to get into the college of his choice just because he was a Chosen Child feared by many. Osamu threw his glass on the mirror in the toilet smashing it into pieces in frustration.

"WHY! Haven't we done enough? We had saved the people from Digimon threat! Why can't they accept us? Why is our Digimon taken away from us?" Osamu stared at his angry self in the mirror. He had lost Agumon, the same time when Yamato and Sora lost their partners.

"Are you alright, niisan?" It was Ken who was calling him from the outside. He rushed in as soon as he heard the glass break.

"I'm fine, Ken. My hand just slipped." Osamu wanted to assure him there was no need for his concern.

Osamu was full of resentment. It was because of somebody's selfishness, somebody wanted to become a savior, he was forced to make Agumon fight and the remaining time he had with Agumon ended.

Osamu stole a glance at his white shirt stained with red. He recalled he was trying to wash his clothes, to wash off the blood which was mixed with his. He had a few stitches on his head from the battle with Eosmon.

Agumon had vanished before him. He was Osamu's only friend.

And they were back safely as he had planned. Had he heeded Yamato's advice. He would not be here now. No one would blame him as he told the former Chosen Child, Yamada Kyoutarou story that Menoa Belucci repented and sacrificed herself for the greater good.

Osamu came back to his room after cleaning up the mess and saw his younger brother sitting on his bed.

"How many times…" Osamu wanted to tell him off to be interrupted by Wormmon.

"Ken-chan had done nothing wrong. He is just worried about Osamu-nissan." Osamu gritted his teeth. How dare a Digimon say that to him? And it was unfair that Wormmon was still around while he had to lose Agumon. Why did they even not in Japan when he needed them? Was he their leader or Yamato was their leader? If they were the ones who take on Eosmon in 'Neverland', Agumon would not have to fight. They were the cause of his agony.

"Wormmon." Ken urged Wormmon to stay quiet for now. His brother had it hard. He just lost his partner. They were here to comfort him not to incur his wrath.

"I want to be left alone. Just get out of my room now!" Osamu raised his voice pointing his finger at the door.

"Then, call us if you need us." Ken said politely as he picked Wormmon up on his arms and left the room, closing the door quietly with only a click.

"Child of Kindness. I can't be as kind as you, Ken. If I'm kind, I'd lose everything." Osamu lamented covering his blanket over his head. He would sleep and rest and then he would get Koushirou to find a way to get Agumon back. Yes, Koushirou would make things happen like he always do. They had the ability to open up the Digital Gate without a D-3 now thanks to his research. With that thought in mind, Osamu fell asleep.

* * *

_"I wish Osamu can let go of your resentment. Only then, you can lead a happy and fulfilling life." This was the last word Agumon had for him. Both himself and Yamato broke down into tears when their partners disappeared._

_Osamu stood up after a period of silence. He heard something ticking and his eyes widened. He spotted Eosmon's final attack emerging from its destruction. 'Neverland' is collapsing faster than the children's consciousness could return._

_He saw Menoa Belucci lying unconscious nearby. He was overwhelmed by his hatred. He felt for a piece of crystal which is sharp enough to be used as a weapon and ran towards where she was. Yamato was aware what he was up to._

_"Don't, Osamu! Don't make the same mistake again." Osamu stopped in his step at Yamato's words for a moment. What did he mean? What kind of mistake was he making? Many assumptions ran through his mind. How much does Yamato know? Did he know he was the one who caused Taichi's death? Was that the reason Omegamon was forced to split during their battle against Eosmon? Because Yamato had doubts about him? They were lucky that a miraculous evolution happened without the need for fusion but that did not prevent them from losing their partners and their identities as Chosen Children._

_"Going easy on your enemy, Yamato? You're still too soft. At this rate, we'll all die." Osamu ignored his words and took off. He would use Menoa as a sacrifice, turning her into data and create a barrier to slow down the destruction from reaching the rest of them before their consciousness returned to the Real World. He had been studying and researching on the Digimon and human data make-up in the Digital World. The logic would work. She wanted to be their savior so he would grant her her wish._

_"OSAMU!" Yamato yelled at the top of his lungs when Osamu stabbed her in her chest with the crystal and turned her data into a shield when Eosmon destructed. She was not allowed to live. He had learnt that being soft on their enemy was not an option. Osamu was thrown off a distance away as his world turned black._

* * *

Osamu felt cold water on his feet. The water felt stinging to the core. A Digimon appeared before him. Scanning around the area, Osamu guessed he ended up in the Dark Ocean. A Digimon appeared in the air and landed before him.

"BlackWarGreymon?" Osamu would recognize the dramon Digimon anywhere. He was of the same species as his partner. The Digimon handed a crest to him.

"It's the Crest of Darkness. Take it, my partner." BlackWarGreymon urged him. Osamu eyed the dramon Digimon in black suspiciously. Why was he even in possession of a crest? Many questions popped on his mind. BlackWarGreymon was made of the Dark Tower, he had sacrificed himself years ago. How on earth did he managed to get reborn? Osamu could only assume he was reconfigured with the power of darkness.

Common sense told Osamu that darkness should not even exist. They should be eradicated.

"Agumon, time to evolve!" Osamu ordered. He turned and found his side empty. "Oh yeah." He recalled that Agumon was gone.

"I've been waiting for my partner and you came." BlackWarGreymon said looking down at the puny little human.

"Don't you mess with me, you power mad Digimon." Osamu was infuriated.

"Don't you remember the incident at Hikarigaoka? We've been together for a short while." BlackWarGreymon recounted the time fondly but Osamu did not remember any of it.

"I can't believe you have existed as a real Digimon before." Osamu spatted. It was true that Taichi and Hikari had encountered a Koromon in Hikarigaoka when they were very young. He thought it was his Agumon but to think it was not.

"Now send me back where I came from if you claim to be my partner." BlackWarGreymon stared at Osamu and shuddered all the sudden. It was as though he seen something scary within Osamu.

"YOU! You killed my partner!" He cried out abruptly and attempted to attack him with his claw. Osamu was agile enough to dodge while yelling for the one who chosen them to fulfill their duties as Chosen Child?

"Homeostasis, where are you? Shouldn't you be granting us power to deal with evil powers to preserve the harmony you desire? If Agumon is taken away from me, how am I supposed to fight this crazy monster?" Osamu's heart was thumping hard as he ran for his life. He needed to find a way out here. He must be dreaming, or he was caught in the Dark Ocean. He hoped someone would notice and help him.

BlackWarGreymon flew to the air. Osamu realized in horror what he was doing. He raised his arms to create a fire red ball and he was aiming for him.

"You have killed my partner!" BlackWarGreymon was determined to eliminate the young man before him.

"You called me your partner but you're now attacking me? This is ridiculous!" Osamu yelled at the Digimon in the air. Osamu was kind of confused. First, he asked him to take his crest calling him his partner, now he changed his mind and saw him as an enemy.

"BlackWarGreymon." Osamu glanced at the water. It was the dark ocean water after all. Ken had dipped his Digivice and turned it into a D-3. What if he dips his frozen digivice as well? He was not going to give up. He would get out of this safely.

"Terra Destroyer!" Osamu took a deep breath to brace for the attack while dipping his frozen Digivice into the water. A dark light beam shot up from his Digivice and it hit directly through BlackWarGreymon's body effectively stopping his attack before it hit Osamu. BlackWarGreymon's attack exploded in the sky instead blasting them off a distance away. Just when BlackWarGreymon's body was disintegrating, he extended his claw attempted to reach for something in the air.

"Tai-Taichi… I'm sorry…" BlackWarGreymon cried out and his body dissipated.

"Yagami Taichi is your partner? No way." Osamu heard BlackWarGreymon calling that name. Does that mean all these while he destined as the Child of Darkness? Was he supposed to be chosen? There was no longer an answer. A crest appeared where he disappeared and it broke into pieces as well.

"Damn it!" Yagami Taichi was still haunting him after his death. His fury caused his digivice which had been reactivated by the effect of dipping it in the sea water, sending him to the Digital World, in another point in time, in another dimension.

* * *

**Year 2005**

He was in a place which was some sort like a laboratory. Osamu hid himself. There were a few capsules in the inner room which he could unable to figure out what was in there and in the opposite room, he saw an adult whom he recognized as the agent of the Incorporated Administrative Agency, Nishijima Daigo sitting against the wall in a pool of blood. He did not understand. Why was Nishijima Daigo in the Digital World because he was not aware that Sora's homeroom teacher could step into the Digital World?

Osamu was startled when he saw his reflection in the glass window before him. He was in high school age in his high school uniform. Back in his time, Osamu had actually applied to the same school as Yamato and the rest in order to get closer to them. Behind him he saw through the reflection was someone who resembled Gennai. Osamu could not scream when he felt pricking pain on his neck. He had been drugged and was paralysed from the effect. Dark Gennai caught the young man he had just knocked out.

"Oh, isn't this a Chosen Child we have been looking for? One who defies destiny? The voice came from Dark Gennai who had taken a clear look at his face. Osamu could barely make out Gennai's feature drifting in and out of his consciousness.

"I'm surprised. You looks exactly like the form I'm using in the Real World." Dark Gennai said.

"Let us wait for the Child of Miracles. He should be appearing anytime, Yggdrasil-sama." Osamu could not figure out anything back then and allowed himself to fall into oblivion.

"They will be perfect vessels for our plan." was the last thing Osamu heard.


	21. Side: Yagami Taichi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taichi's quest was not over even after receiving heart transplant. He got too full of himself on his chances of survival until he died again in 2005. An encounter with the Old Clock Shop Man revealed that he was not done. There is still a missing piece of puzzle to be found.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decided to insert a Taichi chapter due to an inspiration. This Taichi is the Taichi blessed with the Crest of Miracles from 'Digimon Adventure Zero Two: The Alternate Destiny'. How he ended up meeting Daigo and the aftermath. This chapter is also linked to my other side story 'Digimon Adventure: The Alternate Destiny - Boku ni Totte'
> 
> Digimon is not mine.

**Side: Yagami Taichi**

The very first thing in the morning, Yagami Taichi would do was to feel for his beating heart. He felt grateful, grateful to be well and alive.

**Year 2000**

He had a heart defect when he was young and had gone through a major operation. He thought he had got over the ordeal and even started to play soccer. Unfortunately, things did not turn out as he expected. Taichi suffered from relapse not long after his adventure in the Digital World. That time, he was informed that he needed a heart transplant in order to live on. Taichi was devastated even if he did not show it.

Yamato was a very good friend. He visited him often. Taichi's condition had been deteriorating as the day passed by, still, Yamato would be there whenever he needed him.

He could no longer get up on his feet and the interval he could stay awake was becoming shorter and he needed life support as his heart was no longer functioning optimally.

"It should be anytime this week." The doctor announced. Yagami Yuuko fell on her back to be caught by her husband. She broke down at the news. It was too fast.

"Unless we can find him a suitable heart, I'm sorry..."

Taichi was in an induced coma enabling him to rest. It was hard for him to even breathe properly to sleep.

That night, Yamato sat beside his bed after the visiting hours were over.

"Taichi, I'm so sorry." Taichi could see tears from Yamato's eyes when he barely managed to regain his consciousness.

"There's nothing to apologise for, Yamato." Taichi spoke up weakly.

"You're awake." Yamato was surprised as Taichi should be too weak to even wake up. Yamato held his hand. He could feel that he was trembling. Taichi's hand was cold in sweat.

"Yamato, I'm scared." He confessed in a weak voice through his oxygen mask.

"Taichi?"

"I thought I made peace with it after going through death over and over again." Taichi continued to talk.

"Taichi?"

"I wonder why this time. I'm scared that I can't wake up if I fall asleep." Taichi stared at Yamato blankly as he continued mumbling about his fear.

"I scared I'll die. I'm trapped." Taichi said in his muffled voice.

"Yagami Taichi!" Yamato shook his shoulder. Yamato was really afraid as much as he was afraid he would die. He did not know how he could help him.

"I dreamt of going through heart transplant, I'll recover, I'll go back to play soccer and go through the next adventure with you guys. Come to think of it, it'll never happen. I'm doomed to die over and over again."

"Yagami Taichi!" Yamato was pleading him to stop.

"It's just my wishful thinking. No matter which dimension I'm in, I'll still die. I ask for it. I'm cursed." Taichi began to cry. Yamato hugged him despite all the wires and tubes hooked on him. Taichi needed it.

"You are Yagami Taichi." Taichi's eyes widened when Yamato shook him as hard as he could to get him look him into his eyes holding him by his shoulder.

"Our Yagami Taichi. The Yagami Taichi we know never say die, he never stops, and he never gives up. You are that Yagami Taichi!"

"Yamato..." Taichi barely got back to his senses.

"Yes, you never say die, you never stop, and you never give up. Every one of us believes in you." Yamato grabbed him by his shoulder. He was never good with words, but he tried his best to communicate to him what he had in mind.

For the past few months Taichi was admitted to the hospital, Taichi had been fighting hard. He was always haunted by nightmares. He had shared with Yamato once about his personal adventure, about his wish to the crest, about the curse.

"Thank you, Yamato, for everything." Taichi smiled. It was his usual smile. That was the last time Taichi confided with him before his condition worsened to the extent that he could not even wake up. And the day came, when Taichi knew he would be lost to fate. The doctor urged Yamato and his parents to see him for one last time.

Taichi smiled. He was happy to see Yamato and his parents. They were his treasure. Maybe he would still see them again when he woke up after he fell back asleep when he would be given another go on his life.

Tears flowed down his cheek. Taichi tried really hard to stay awake but his body was no longer obeying him. The pain from his ailing heart was fading. His death this round would set a new record as this would be the first time he died at the age of 12.

"Taichi, don't fall asleep." Yamato tried to stop him from closing his eyes holding his hands and shook him.

* * *

Taichi was a little surprised when he found himself woke up well and alive. His hands trembled when his hand found his way to his chest. Taichi teared up when he could feel the beating of his heart. It was not his weak and irregular heart; he felt a lot of strength from the heart within him. That was when Taichi realized he managed to get a heart transplant in the nick of time.

"Taichi, are you in pain?" Yagami Yuuko was suit up with medical gown in order to keep her boy whose immune system had been compromised company. She noticed her son stirred and felt a sense of relief. Taichi placed his hand over his heart and she was worried if he was in a lot of pain.

"Kaasan…" His voice was muffled under the oxygen mask. Taichi was in happiness rather than pain. His eyes drooped after some time. He was still too weak and his body was still recovering and fighting any possible infection. Taichi mustered his strength to grab his mother's hand. He did not want to let go.

"It's alright, just go to sleep." Yuuko urged her son. She knew Taichi would be okay. He would be able to wake up despite his fear. Taichi eventually nodded and closed his eyes giving in to sleep. All he knew was his battle to live on was over.

* * *

**Year 2005**

Taichi himself was surprised when he was reunited with a mysterious old man with a clock-like Digimon by his side.

"You're dead. " The old man informed the boy who stared at him in horror. The old man pointed at a broken clock behind him.

"This cannot be." Taichi felt his head bursting from headaches trying to recall how he ended up here.

***Flashback***

_Taichi shoved Yamato and Mochizuki Meiko away in the nick of time from an attack by Jesmon who was engaged in battle with Alphamon, Raguelmon and Omegamon._

_Taichi urged Omegamon to rescue Yamato and Meiko. He was not the Taichi who needed to be saved and protected like a damsel in distress._

" _Taichi!" Yamato yelled watching his friend running away from cracks from the ground. Of course, he was worried about him._

" _Don't worry Yamato, I have the Crest of Miracles, I will not die." Taichi seemed to be very confident on his chance of survival with the possession of the crest until he found himself losing his balance falling off into a huge crack under his feet. No one was there for him._

***End Flashback***

Taichi's eyes widened in horror could not believe what was happening. He had the Crest of Miracles, he could not have died. This must be a sick joke.

"Because you're too full of yourself. Did you think you're invincible?" Old Clock Shop Man ruffled the boy's hair squatting to his sitting height. Taichi stared down on his hands.

"I'm too full of myself?" Taichi muttered still in shock. All his efforts had gone down in drain. Taichi tried to recall his journey to break his curse, how much emotion baggage he had carried to find a dimension with the Crest of Miracles, and he could finally live on. He questioned himself if this was still not the one?

"This is definitely the one if you're wondering, boy." The old man's partner Digimon spoke up. "We passed by and stopped your clock." He pointed to the clock with a pin. Half of the clock was missing. Should the seconds needle move to the part of the clock which was missing, he would disappear.

"It must not have been easy for you." The old man remarked. Taichi felt his emotions bubbling up. The old man was aware about what he had been through. Taichi kept his experience to himself. Other than Yamato, he did not tell anybody about the curse.

Since Taichi woke up from his heart transplant, he thought he had finally found a dimension he would live on peacefully with his friends.

"With the dimension travelling, you had done, multiple realities had been created." The old man shared with Taichi. "Have you wondered about those dimensions you had involved in, what happened to them? Taichi nodded quietly.

"There is nothing I can do to prevent my death. Their lives were theirs to live." Taichi knew his friends would have to suffer from the pain of losing him. "All the more, I have to live my life now to the fullest so that I would not have lived in vain but I still messed up." Taichi said with his face scrunched up in regret.

"Did you think your death is an accident?" The old man asked. Taichi shook his head resigning to his fate.

"There is a curse on me. Of course, I'll die. It's my fate. It's already a miracle, I'm alive until now." Taichi said punching his fist on the ground. His foolishness landed him into this state. He truly regretted it.

"What makes you think you'll die from a curse?" The old man said trying to hint Taichi about something. Taichi raised his head in confusion.

"There is a cause and effect to everything. Have you wondered why they come after your life?" The clock Digimon led Taichi on to think. They had something in mind and Taichi had to follow up on it.

"There is a place known as a Vault which you had not encountered here. Someone had destroyed it before the first batch of Chosen Children had their adventure in another dimension. It caused some repercussion." The old man said to the leader of the Chosen Children. He was curious if Taichi could really create a miracle once more since he specially granted him a dimension key rather than granting it to Daisuke in the timeline when he was not killed by Piemon.

"As a result, there is still a missing piece from your mission to survive." Taichi clenched his fist. His journey was not over. He would need to find the dimension with the Vault destroyed to complete his quest.

* * *

Taichi was jaded and tired from dimension travelling. He had gone through dying in many of the dimensions. It appeared that there were times that, he could never remember the curse as he traveled through the course of time until he found himself dying again. In these dimensions. he was not killed by Piemon and was able to live past his first adventure.

Taichi caught a glimpse of the power behind who had made an attempt on his life. He was shot by a sniper for trespassing the restricted area. The sniper was in a trance when he pulled the trigger. It only hit Taichi who saw his eyes when he felt the bullet tore through his chest embedding itself within his heart. He did not know better until Yamato sang him a song he actually recognized before his death at the age of 14.

"There is someone else." Taichi updated the old man who had been watching over him while he went on his quest to find the dimension with the missing puzzle.

"I got a feeling that those who had a hand to cause my death was controlled by someone but I'm unable to identify it." Taichi raised his arm a little which covered his eyes warily. He was thinking hard. That Yamato he encountered in his last travel was not the one Taichi from that dimension should know.

"It was the song he was going to sing for the debut of his band but the timing did not seem right." Taichi could not forget the tune when he overheard Yamato's singing while passing by the band room in their high school. Yamato sang it when he was dying in his arms when they were in their middle school year.

"Yamato attempted dimension travel." Taichi realized he found a clue. A dimension out of the norm. Taichi was pretty sure Koushirou was trying something new again. Koushirou shared with him his idea to find a way to open up the Digital Gate anywhere they were without a D-3. If it was Koushirou, he might succeed.

"Hohoho, you have a bunch of good friends who is trying to help you, it seems." The old man said brushing his beard.

"I'll like to try to find the dimension that Yamato came from. Maybe I can find the missing piece." Taichi finally found some hope.

"I'll uncover the truth and get a closure." Taichi decided not sharing the doubt he had when he saw a certain figure appearing around the sniper back then.

* * *

Taichi woke up in pain. This time, he wounded up in the dimension where he went through falling into the hole again. He was not dead apparently. Someone else protected him from harm.

Taichi looked at the figure in shock as he held up his phone with the flashlight on. The person smiled at him weakly.

"Nishijima-sensei?" Taichi called out. His teacher was covered with blood. Taichi felt nausea at the sight which reminded him how much pain his friends endured seeing him in that state for too many times to count.

His teacher was very glad that he was safe. Taichi gritted his teeth when he realized that Nishijima-sensei was a Chosen Child before his team. He remembered his adventure. Taichi realized he was in the dimension where the Vault was destroyed. He was getting closer.

Taichi was horrified to find Daisuke and his team being confined in the capsules in the other room. Daisuke at the dimension was safe in the Real World in his own dimension.

"Daisuke, everyone!" Taichi was shocked to see Daisuke, Ken, Miyako and Iori imprisoned in the capsules. It was a lab Yggdrasil held them captive. Daigo got himself to a chair with his remaining strength to activate the lab.

"He who fight monsters should be careful that he does not become a monster himself." Taichi could recognize the voice and Dark Gennai appeared before them.

"If you gaze long an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you." The man flicked his finger to stop the life support system.

"If you want to save them, just send them to the Real World. But, as soon as you do that, this place will go boom. Your seats had been prepared thanks to the merciful Yggdrasil-sama. There was only one seat…" Dark Gennai was twisted. Taichi was pretty sure of that.

"Learn how helpless you humans are! Face it! None of you can do anything without Digimons!" To him, they were just clowns basking in reflected glory.

"Now show me you pathetic last struggling cries, Chosen brats!" Dark Gennai said with a twisted expression. "Take that human!" Gennai waved and sizzled off disappearing from their view. Taichi and Daigo watched helplessly.

Taichi had been through so much, he was not going to give up. He felt his heart beating in his chest. He was not hurt there; he was not going to die.

"There had got to be something! Has to be." Taichi took off to a seat across and typed away. Daigo stood up.

"Yagami!" Daigo called out.

"There has to be a way to save everyone!" Taichi tried to convince himself and the door to the capsules opened. Taichi ran in.

"Check the transfer device! If we can transport to the Real World, we might be able to communicate through it!" Daigo gave the instruction. Taichi was naïve enough to take the bait. It was an attempt for his teacher to dupe him into the capsule and save himself.

Taichi banged desperately on the glass panel. No one else should die for him. He was well aware that Daigo was dying from all the blood loss from his own experience of dying he had from the other dimensions. Taichi needed to save his teacher and he was unable to pay attention to what Daigo was saying.

"I'll pass it on to you. Our grown-up hope. No matter how hard reality is up ahead, don't ever give up. You guys go build the future. Dream big!"

"NOOOOOO!" The Crest of Miracles on his wrist glowed and engulfed Taichi.

* * *

"There's a world someone will die for me. I can't accept it." Taichi decided to save Daigo when he found himself arriving in the same location at the same point in time. He was glad that his crest activated. Taichi raised his flashlight and shined on Daigo who was covered in blood.

Daigo tried hard to trick him but he failed because Taichi knew. He pulled Daigo's arms over his shoulder, his expression, devoid of feeling.

"Did sensei think I'm going to leave you alone?" Taichi asked looking away and carried him carefully.

"Yagami, don't. You should go." Daigo retorted tugging the boy weakly begging him to let go of him.

"I'm not going to fall for this again." Taichi explained as he helped Daigo to the capsule and sat him in the seat and buckled him.

"Are you coming in with me?" Daigo gazed up to the boy.

"I'm sorry, Sensei. I can't go where you came from." Taichi pressed a button and retreated quickly as the door was heard shut airtight.

"Yagami… don't…" Taichi ignored Daigo's plea. He was not going to give in. He was going to maximise Daigo's chance of survival he was always deprived from. Besides, there could well be another Taichi in this dimension since he arrived here utilising the Crest of Miracles rather than resetting from his own death. The timer for the transfer had begun its countdown.

"This time I'm finally one-step ahead of you, Sensei. Sensei still have something to do until the end. You told me this before, the future will continue and become connected." Taichi felt his heart beating in his chest and realized he would die in a different manner.

As the countdown finally reached zero, he shut his eyes tight to embrace his doom.

"Sensei, dream big!"

* * *

Taichi opened his eyes abruptly. The monitor stated that the transfer was completed but the explosion did not occur as he expected. Taichi feeling relieved that he survived, stood up and turned around. He gasped in horror when Dark Gennai appeared before his face as he injected a needle to his neck.

"This should cause you to have a relapse." Taichi crumpled to the ground feeling pain on his chest. He felt he was having a cardiac arrest. He could only stare at Dark Gennai with gaped mouth. It seemed that he had another boy who was captured lying nearby against the wall unconscious. Taichi recognized the boy from somewhere.

"Ichijouji Osamu?" Taichi barely managed to call out the name that came to his mind. Although he had never met him in person, he knew he was the donor who saved him in his own dimension. He was the late brother of Ken. Taichi could not believe he would meet him here and he was in the same high school uniform as he did.

Memories of him, though vague, flashed by Taichi's mind suddenly, the boy was always around like the god of death when he was about to die of heart injuries such as the time he was shot by a sniper near Mt Fuji when he trespassed the restricted area. Taichi felt confused by his memories. He was the same person he had yet to meet in his dimension. Yet, he was the one who saved his life.

Taichi struggled to wriggle towards the boy despite being in pain. He wanted to be sure if he was not mistaken before he lost his consciousness and forced to reset. However, the sharp pain on his chest prevented him from doing so.

"Still trying to stay conscious, you're impressive." Taichi could barely hear Dark Gennai. That man was sick.

"Our merciful Yggdrasil-sama need your help after witnessing your feat in altering somebody's destiny." Dark Gennai said pulling Taichi's hair as he yelped in pain. Taichi struggled to catch his breath and forced his eyes open to glare at him. They had been waiting for him to finish his job before taking action.

Taichi was drifting in and out of consciousness when he sensed another figure approaching them. He wanted to see who that figure was. Dark Gennai released his grasp on Taichi's hair and Taichi found his face back on the cold ground. Taichi found it really hard to stay focus as the drug took over him.

"Shall we begin, Yggdrasil-sama." Taichi could vaguely hear the greeting before falling into oblivion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The old clock shop man was a character from Xros Wars in case reader did not know. I have this setting whereby the old clock shop man deployed the leaders from various worlds traveled through time and dimensions to assist Daisuke to cover the void from Taichi's death. The boys met Daigo once and fed him with some information regarding his own death.


	22. Side: Osamu (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ichijouji Osamu ended up in 2018. With Koushirou's research, he ended up in the dimension where the Vault is destroyed. He had been acting according to Yggdrasil's plan unknowingly despite working against it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: My ideas just came about as I write this. It's weird but it should work out somehow.
> 
> Digimon is not mine.

Osamu blinked and found himself surrounded in darkness. He lying against the wall and his arms were all tied up to his back.

"Are you alright?" A boy with huge brown hair in high school uniform asked him with a weak tone. He was tied up in another corner looking wary and weak.

"You're Taichi?" Osamu recognised him. The boy nodded in acknowledgement before doubling up in pain.

"TAICHI!" Osamu wanted to reach out for him. He was definitely having an attack. Osamu remembered how he was captured and the culprits had been waiting for Taichi.

"Well, well, both of you sure taken a long time." A voice echoed loudly to where they were. Dark Gennai emerged from the dark with an eerie smirk. He walked over to Taichi and kick him to the ground. Taichi gasped in response struggling to catch his breath.

"Don't worry, he won't die just yet." He turned to Osamu. "I thought you hate him enough that you wanted him dead." Dark Gennai frowned at Osamu who gritted his teeth.

"Yggdrasil-sama is very happy with your performance." Dark Gennai remarked while stepping on Taichi's back. He was amused by Taichi's struggle against his abuse as he poured cold water over his hair.

"To achieve your objective, you're willing to resort to any mean including murder." Osamu's eyes widened in fear. Obviously, he knew his secret.

"Of course, nothing escapes Yggdrasil-sama's eyes. This boy and Menoa Belucci were victims of your wrath." Dark Gennai pinned Taichi down with one of his knees.

"How did you know?" Osamu finally got his words out. Taichi blinked weakly struggling to break free from Dark Gennai while listening in to their conversation. He had found himself a debris that looked sharp.

"Life is never fair is what you are thinking. Why is it that you must die young? Is that fate? Is that destiny? Why are the others safe from their fate?" Dark Gennai made various expression while fooling around with Taichi. Taichi was pissed enough to do a head butt on him. Dark Gennai tripped and fell on his butt. Taichi had broken free of his restrain and ran over to Osamu to try to cut his rope.

"You!" Dark Gennai wanted to play some more to only be stopped by another figure in the dark. Osamu realized it must be Yggdrasil.

"Long time no see, Ichijouji Osamu. Did you enjoy the time extension so far?" A robotic-like being appeared to them.

Osamu found himself not being able to breathe. The being that helped him was not Milleniumon? He stood up after Taichi had freed him. He could not believe he was having an attack when he looked a lot better now.

"No, it's not the Digimon Tactician, my dear. It had always been me, Yggdrasil." The being known as Yggdrasil finally showed up. Taichi stared hard at the being. They had all heard of the name but had never met him in person.

"What are you planning to do with us?" Taichi struggled to say. Seemed that he had regained some strength with the drug effect wearing off.

"Let us get started with the final plan. The two of you had been integral to our plan as you had shown us the fate can be defied." The two boys glanced at each other before turning back to them.

 _"They will be perfect vessels for our plan_." Osamu recalled hearing the voice said. It was Yggdrasil.

"No, we're not going to let you have your way!" The two boys said in unison. Even not understanding their situation, they were aware of the consequences if Yggdrasil managed to proceed with whatever he was planning. Both boys pulled out their digivices. They would fight their ways out their dreadful destiny as always.

Lights shot out from their Digivices engulfing them.

* * *

**Year 2018**

The next time Osamu woke up, he found himself back in the Real World. He dozed off in an office. He removed the VR headset which he worn over his head. He was in the government building in Tokyo and he could see most of the skyscraper and buildings. The phone on his desk rang and that startled him.

"Hello." He answered cautiously.

"Ambassador, Izumi Koushirou is here to see you." Osamu heard the party over the line said. That was really confusing.

Osamu cautiously peered at the lockscreen of his laptop. His eyes widened at the year stated on screen. It was 2018. So now he had grown up without realizing and he had become an ambassador?

"Send him in." Osamu replied. That was not his voice. Osamu panicked. He turned himself around and saw his reflection on the glass window which overlooked the city. His hair was cut shorter than he would like and he looked really different. His eyes were bigger and rounder, he was honest looking and he looked like someone really familiar. How on earth did he change his look so much?

Osamu's line of thought was cut off when he heard the knock on the door.

"Come in." Maybe he could ask Koushirou about it. A man with red hair stepped in. He reeked an air of confidence as he approached him. Osamu saw a gift card he placed on the desk. The name stated was…

"Yagami Taichi." Osamu looked stunned and he stared up at the man before him.

"It's my wedding next month. Will you be my best man, Taichi-san?" Osamu was horrified by the sound of it. Why would he see him as Taichi? They were not the same person at all.

"Give me a mirror."

"What?"

* * *

"You can use the selfie function of the phone. It doubles up as a mirror." Koushirou suggested and Osamu was puzzled but he picked up fast. The smart phone in 2018 seemed much more advanced than eight years ago, he could unlock using facial recognition. The camera function could already take photos on par with a digital single-lens reflex camera. Osamu finally taken a good look of the man on screen. His face was drained of colour. That was not him. He was Yagami Taichi.

"Are you okay? You don't look good? Have you taken your medicine?" Koushirou asked. His line of sight fell on the headset on his desk. Taichi had been testing out his invention and he must have been overwhelmed by his experience in there.

"Koushirou, did you know a person named Ichijouji Osamu?" His head shot up to face Koushirou who sat himself opposite him.

"Ichijouji? That's the elder brother of Ichijouji-kun. Why did you ask about him suddenly?." Koushirou wondered.

"Where is he?" Osamu asked carefully.

"Taichi-san, you're being funny. Ichijouji Osamu died in an accident when he was 11. You will visit his grave yearly on his death anniversary, don't you remember?"

"I visited his grave every year?" Osamu repeated Koushirou's words.

"Yes, Taichi-san, you yourself said he gave you his heart and saved your life. " Osamu slammed his palm on the table startling him.

"What?" Osamu was aware he was a compatible donor but it was unbelievable to hear of himself dead and he saved Yagami Taichi?

"Koushirou, do you mind leaving me alone for a while. I need some time to myself." Osamu barely able to get his words out.

"Ok. Taichi-san. My wedding next month." Koushirou wanted to remind him once more but gave up seeing his friend in that stoic state. "See a doctor if you don't feel well." Koushirou reminded him expressing concern about his health as a heart transplant recipient. Osamu nodded and waved forcing a smile to comfort his friend. Koushirou left noting his friend's positive response.

Osamu went to the gents and saw the scar on his chest. He was sure now. He felt very sick to the core. Why was he in Taichi's body anyway?

"Donor of what?" Osamu did not like what he hear. Once he was pronounced brain dead, his heart would be donated to Taichi and Taichi would be given a new lease of life.

"It's either he lives, or you live. If you die and he lives, he will take everything from you including your partner Digimon. He isn't as cold-hearted as you. Unlike you, he is loved by everybody around you."

Osamu raised his hand and saw a crest he wore around his wrist. That was not the Crest of Darkness. It was a crest with an emblem which resemble... Miracle? He realized the smart phone he had was a copy of Taichi's digivice.

Osamu heard from Koushirou on the current outlook on the society's reaction with the Digimon. The situation certainly improved with Taichi mediating as the ambassador. Osamu snorted at the thought that Taichi was well-liked by everybody. He is kind, earnest, sincere, courageous and resourceful. The boy tends to put others before himself. They can count on him in times of need. That's what the others like about him. This job really fit Taichi really well.

* * *

Koushirou was researching on dimension travelling, a function Taichi's Digivice possessed and different ways to do dimension travel. Osamu jumped on the opportunity to use the function to travel back in time and dimension in search for a way home. Koushirou would not advise travelling in person as much as he wanted to do so in case he could not make it back safely. Hence he came up with another way and Osamu appeared in another time as hologram, reluctantly.

As time went by, Osamu realized, he was already dead in the dimensions he had visited. He died at the age of 11 and he was never able to arrive at the point in time to prevent his death. Observing Taichi and his friends in year 2002 really pissed him off. He was extremely jealous of Taichi. If he could never live past 11, he could not allow Taichi to do so.

Osamu worked with the Digimon Tactician, a time travelling Digimon, Milleniumon he encountered during his travel and even manipulated various enemy Digimon spreading words even if he could not be in that dimension that they would be killed by the Chosen Children on a certain date and they needed to at least get rid of one Chosen Child. He should not be allowed to live. If he could not escape his fate, Taichi should not too.

Using the research data from Koushirou to convert consciousness into data, he ever manipulated man's consciousness to his will to snipe Taichi in the forest area in Mt Fuji, shooting him when he was just an innocent by-passer caught in the line of fire between robbers and the police. Demon would some time appear to finish him off to ensure his victory, or killing him like the way he did in his original dimension. It was only Piemon's who needed some convincing to kill Taichi in order to prevent his possible defeat. Piemon was too cocky for his own good.

In any case, Ichijouji Osamu would have died way before he could donate his heart to Yagami Taichi. In all dimensions, Taichi would die due to heart injuries because he really resented the idea of Taichi receiving his heart to live on.

* * *

It was until in one of the dimensions, the Chosen Child from Tottori, Mochizuki Meiko confronted him about this. Osamu noted that Taichi had created the Incorporated Administrative Agency in many of the dimensions he been to. There was a dimension which seemed especially unique. The group of Chosen Children before his team were able to keep the memories of their adventure intact. That piqued Osamu's curiosity.

Osamu had studied the research from the dimension created by them. With the weapons created, it should lessen the burden of the rest of the Chosen Children so that they would not be forced to separate from their partners so soon. The more fight they put up with more evolution, the shorter the time they would have left. That was why Taichi created the Agency in other dimensions. Osamu disagreed. Since the Chosen Children would be separating with their partners anyway, might as well separate them and take their memories. As long as they did not remember, there would be less pain.

Mochizuki Meiko was special. She realized something was wrong with the dimension with her unique abilities to remember events from different dimensions even if it did not happen to theirs. That was why he decided to test her. They were in the dimension where Yagami Taichi managed to live past the adult age because he could not locate Taichi in 2002 when he should be reconfigured and returned to the Real World. He only reappeared in 2005 under Menoa Belucci's guardianship, only make known to him when she registered him as an agent in the Agency as Kamiya Taichi. By then Taichi was already an adult much to his annoyance.

With so many unknown in place, Osamu decided to remain in this dimension to play with them. He was aware what the brain of the team, Izumi Koushirou was capable of, he felt he should remove him from the game beforehand. The incident happened to Menoa Belucci gave him a hand. Koushirou was arrested and accident happened killing him in process.

Some force unknown to him used Menoa Belucci to kill Taichi even without him lifting his fingers for some reason. That caught his attention. He was also investigating this while setting up the world on fire since the society is biased against Digimon like his original.

His current partner Digimon, Heliosmon Menoa had created using Taichi's memory data, whom he had under his control too claimed that Taichi did not belong in this dimension. His instinct led him to Taichi in the hospital. This Digimon though, did not notice he did not belong in the current dimension with his holographic status.

BlackWarGreymon from another dimension had to be involved in this since he appeared from a rogue dimension gate. Heliosmon killed him for the same reason. He could not deal with Taichi due to interference from the messenger of Homeostasis. It did not take long for him to find out that Homeostasis wanted Taichi to be removed because his existence upset the harmony.

That led to the confrontation between him and the remaining Chosen Children in Koushirou's office. He had the final weapon ready. He intended try and unleash here to see if the Chosen Children here would be free of their obligation. Take their memories and their Digimon other than those did not belong due to the messed up dimension. When Osamu arrived at Koushirou's office, Osamu overheard Taichi's words.

* * *

**Year 2010**

"What Mochizuki said earlier was exactly what happened to me. At least one of them I can vividly remembered." Taichi looked in shame before turning to Yamato's direction. Yamato had already noticed. Taichi of this dimension had sacrificed himself in order to save the children whose consciousness was taken by Eosmon.

"I'm not your Taichi." Taichi decided to admit.

He was living in another Taichi's body. Seems that they were in similar situation, trapped and lost. One difference was he was still supported by everyone. Taichi's goggles he had been wearing back in his time was still given to Daisuke.

"Live. And give it back to me when you feel like it, Taichi-san." Daisuke squatted before him taking his goggles and put it on for Taichi.

"Yes, it fits you perfectly, Taichi-san." Daisuke commented proudly as Yamato and the rest smiled. Taichi conceded and smiled along with them.

Taichi's eyes was focused on him when he appeared before them despite being taken by Yamada as hostage. Taichi could not believe his eyes. While others saw him as the man in brown hair, he saw him as someone familiar. Osamu smirked. Finally he encountered Taichi who would know him in person.

"Are you Ken-kun's brother, Osamu?" Taichi asked before he gasped in pain with widened eyes. His heart ailment was acting up again. Osamu's line of sight fell on the crest on his own wrist. He got a feeling that this Taichi could be the answer he was looking for.

"Heliosmon, go get Taichi." Osamu said quietly.

It was not hard for Heliosmon with his instinct to overpower Yamada Kyoutarou and taken Taichi from him before all of them even realised. Yamada came back to his senses when he noticed Heliosmon opened a portal and left with Taichi. He dropped his pistol he was planning to kill Taichi with in horror. The rest of the Chosen Children especially Yamato was especially pissed by his helplessness. He looked as though he was going to kill him.

Taichi indeed, led him to the time dungeon Yagami Taichi, the owner of Osamu's current body was imprisoned.

* * *

Taichi-san!" Izumi Koushirou shouted recognizing the unconscious young man he had kicked over to imprison them.

Taichi sweating with cold sweat and he was clutching his chest in pain. Wallace removed his own jacket and Koushirou helped to rest Taichi's head on Wallace folded jacket. Koushirou was well aware Taichi's heart ailment was acting up and they needed to help him.

"That's too easy." Osamu laughed at the stupidity of the Chosen Children.

"That's enough! You should have the life you had desired since you have the Crest of Miracles, Chief? Or should I address you as Yagami Taichi?" The thought-to-be-dead Nishijima Daigo demanded to know why.

"Izumi Koushirou in my dimension is indeed amazing. There is nothing he can't do. Even a hologram can look so real as I can't be here in this dimension in person. The Crest of Miracles is in my control. Did you think you have any chance to defy destiny?" The male flicked his finger and Heliosmon absorbed Taichi who was bounded on the clock into his body and evolved while the rest watched in horror.

"As for me, like Homeostasis preferred the Child of Light as vessel, I'm looking for a body to use and it happened that this boy is perfect as my vessel." The man in suit remarked clenching and releasing his fist as if he was trying out this body.

"Don't tell me." Daigo muttered in desperation.

The man sizzled and changed his form. It was not Heliosmon he used as a decoy obviously. A male resembling Digimon Kaiser with a cape appeared before them.

"Yagami Taichi was just a façade, This is my real identity…" Ryo recognized the young boy whose photo in Ken's apartment he had etched in his mind. He was now all grown up.

"Ichijouji Osamu?"

* * *

"No, he is not Osamu. He is not Taichi either." The two boys found themselves laughing watching Ryo and "Taichi"'s confrontation. Yggdrasil had managed to obtain a vessel he had always wanted because one of them managed to move on and become an adult. They were trapped in Heliomon's body now because Yggdrasil succeeded. Osamu's data had returned to Heliosmon. Taichi just greeted him to welcome Osamu back.

"I had been doing Yggdrasil's bidding." Osamu admitted bitterly without even knowing. He stared at his hands recalling all the nasty things he had done to Taichi in his dimension as well as many others by separating them and their partners with Heliosmon. They lost their fight against Yggdrasil when they were captured in the lab. Osamu's data escaped to the future while Taichi's data was transferred to the Time Dungeon. It was ingrained to them, they have to destroy themselves to save themselves.

"He wanted to see which of us had higher endurance." Taichi placed his hands on the back of his own head.

"You killed me in order to live, while I need you to die to live on." Taichi said the cruel fact out loud.

"Now he is using my body to have fun." Taichi complained.

"Your body possessed my heart." Osamu pointed out. "Yggdrasil would not have his way if we both die."

"So you go all out to eliminate me in many dimensions." Taichi reflected seeing Osamu watching before he died. He did not realised it at all. It was only clear to him now Osamu was the key behind his death or rather the curse, at the same time, he was also the key for him to escape his dreadful fate.

"I died earlier. He will use you anyway if you survived." Osamu commented.

"Don't you resent me?" Taichi asked the boy who was in the same predicament as him.

"Yes, I do." Osamu admitted. "I'm jealous and I envied you."

"Well, we're both dead after this." Taichi hated to say.

"Is there no way we can get out of this?" Osamu hated to lose as always. He did all the bad things because he hated to lose.

"Me too." Taichi admitted to himself. They had been fighting against each other with contradicting objective. How ironic was this?

A screen appeared before them showing them images from the Real World. It appeared that the dimension gate had been opened. Daisuke was going all out. He was requesting reinforcement from another dimension. He had been making full use of the ability of his D-3 all these while to move forward with his dreams.

A Digimon engulfed in the light emerged before the Chosen Children. Both of them recognized the Digimon.

"Omegamon!" The sight of Omegamon mesmerized them.

"This should help to close the missing gap." Omegamon said as he knelt with a knee to keep the gate open with all his strength for Daisuke and the rest to enter.

"Daisuke is enabling the Chosen Children who should have witnessed the battle against Diaboromon to meet Omegamon." Taichi realized how smart Daisuke Agumon and Gabumon no longer exist in that dimension, hence, it was possible to summon Omegamon from another dimension. Osamu saw Wormmon and Hawkmon clutching their heads a distance away.

"Let us create some hope since we have a wild card." Taichi suggested. Their line of sight fell on Taichi who was encased with Koushirou and his friends. They knew what they had to do. Osamu surprisingly felt at peace even though they were both scared.

"Let's do this." The children of the Crest of Courage finally agreed with each other.

* * *

Heliomon on the surface roared in pain as both Taichi and Osamu held on to some hope in gaining control of this Digimon by merging their consciousness with him.

"What?" Osamu in Taichi's body noticed the change with the Digimon in the Time Dungeon. They were recalling their experience with their partners.

"Koushirou-san and the rest!" Hawkmon recognized Koushirou and Wallace who waved at them with a cheeky smile.

"This will not do!" Osamu raised his Digivice to activate the restraining technology to restrain the Digimon. The same shell which trapped Koushirou and his friends emerged and engulfed Wormmon and Hawkmon's group.

"No, you won't." Heliosmon launched an attack against Osamu who emerged unscratched because he was a hologram.

Heliosmon was now in full control by Taichi and Osamu who decided to work together to take down Yggdrasil in Heliomon's body.

"Oh uh.." Akiyama Ryo was surprised to see the so-called partner of Osamu or Taichi turning against him. Heliosmon charged towards the hologram.

"You should not even exist here." Heliosmon roared with his claw slashing at Osamu and created a distraction to break the captured Chosen Children free. An explosion occurred Monodramon, Terriermon, Lopmon and Tentomon evolved as soon as he found the crack and rescued the human partners.

* * *

"Can you not kill me again?" Taichi asked Osamu softly. Osamu rolled his eyes. They finally had the Chief of the Administrative Agency cornered.

"He is a hologram!" Osamu could not help but to say.

"But Koushirou and the rest will be in trouble if Yggdrasil escaped to the Real World." Taichi spelled out the possibility.

"He is in the Real World, your dimension eight years later." Osamu updated Taichi the fact reminding him they were dealing with hologram.

"That's you. Not Yggdrasil. I had been watching Yggdrasil here. He had been waiting for you." Taichi informed Osamu with a serious tone. Osamu's data was sent to the future while he was imprisoned here. Yggdrasil was unable to do dimension travel unless Osamu brought the adult Taichi's body to the time dungeon which he did unknowingly to find answers which he did. Yggdrasil had managed to merge his data with 2018's Taichi.

"Looks like we're in serious trouble." Osamu bit his lip as he landed Heliomon's attack against Osamu's hologram who smirked.

"Digimon should not even get involved with human in the first place. With Motomiya Daisuke's help, I can send more to other dimensions only he had access to." Osamu's hologram said. With a flick of fingers, an army of Eosmon appeared.

"More hologram?" Wallace said almost yelling. Their image was sizzling. Galgomon attempted to attack Eosmon who charged towards him and sustained some damage. They could damage them but they could not scratch them.

"Or not." Koushirou completed his sentence.

"Evolve straight to ultimate." Koushirou decided to take a gamble. The more they fight, the earlier they would be forced to separate with their partners. His time was not yet up, so he would keep fighting. Koushirou mocked that he was researching on the technology Osamu's hologram was using which was created by himself, his future self.

Wallace and Ryo nodded. They shouted for their partners and evolved their partners to their highest form. Daigo held on to the Crest of Courage and unconscious Taichi. He wished to fight too.

"We need to stop Yggdrasil from going to 2018." Osamu in Heliosmon suddenly blurted out while turning to Ryo who was now Justimon who defended him by taking down a Eosmon locked on to him. Surprisingly, it was not an army of Heliosmon. Ryo seemed to be know more things than he seemed as he was unfazed by the turn of events.

"And don't forget about us!" Daisuke and XV-mon appeared along with the active Chosen Children except Yamato, Sora, Miyako and Ken who remained behind seeing how they were of no help without their partner Digimon. Omegamon from another dimension Daisuke managed to get help from was defending the dimension gate they came in from the Real World.

"Yggdrasil." Like Daisuke, Takeru, Hikari, Iori, Jou, Mimi and their partner Digimon who arrived finally learnt of their enemy whom they had heard of yet had been out of sight for all these years. Osamu smirked and his image sizzled into its original form. Should he managed to open the gate to the dimension where the Crest of Miracles had chosen, he would win.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Taichi and Osamu often have memory gap and couldn't remember their objectives living in another body in another dimension.
> 
> Inside Heliosmon, Taichi and Osamu in data form are like a co-pilot in a machine like plane or like a mobile suit? That's the idea. That 'machine' is made up of data of another Taichi which made it easier for Taichi to gain control of his mind while Osamu could control its mobile movement.
> 
> The timeline Daisuke had access to were dimensions where Taichi was the one with the dimension key and vice versa.


	23. Side: All (END)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All is said and done. The Chosen Children, various walks of lives and the Digimon from various dimensions, came together to fulfill the common goal to preserve the peace in their world and their bonds with their partners from Yggdrasil. They will find a way out together and they always do. By right, their bonds shouldn't be broken easily... The adventure continues...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for following this story for the past 4 months. The journey has finally come to an end. This story is different from my other story since it followed the POV of the different characters. It was supposed to be an one-shot or two-shot but it ended up a multi-chapters story.
> 
> Many of my ideas came up during the process of writing. For example, Kuroh from K Project often seen to have wanted to cut off Shiro's tongue when he said something he didn't like, so an idea of rivalry between Daigo and Yamada Kyotarou came up. The ending did end up within my expectation although the process to reach the ending was rather unexpected.
> 
> Digimon is not mine, it belongs to Toei.

**Year 2012**

Two years had passed since the Chosen Children made their stand against Yggdrasil who was behind the Battle in Time Dungeon.

"No more dimension travel, no more time travel." Daisuke shared his story with the children newly chosen with partners. They were sitting around him in a circle.

"Wasn't it wonderful to know that time isn't fixed?" A girl who was around eleven years old asked.

Daisuke frowned a little for a moment before breaking into a wide smile.

"Yes, you're right! That means possibilities is endless leaving you potential to explore." Daisuke said patting the little girl's head. Her Poromon squealed in jealousy. The baby Digimon wanted a pat in the head as well. Daisuke then played soccer with the baby Digimon in the field.

"Daisuke sure had a way with kids, we're right to leave him to babysit them." Miyako turned to Hikari who nodded in agreement. They stood in the balcony and behind them, Sora and Mimi were busy with baking. Jou was trying to help to find their ingredients while Koushirou was debating on how much flour, how much water to use. They were preparing for a huge gathering Sora had been thinking of since two years ago.

"We became Chosen Children around their age. Look how time flies." Iori popped over to join the girls to watch Daisuke. He just arrived with his partner. Armadimon waved at Daisuke who waved back in response. Daisuke had not changed very much since then.

"Eventually most of us had our bonds dissolved with our partners." Miyako said sadly. Hikari looked at Daisuke. He had bid farewell to V-mon as well, after which, his D-3 was petrified and so was his ability to open the dimension gate from their dimension.

Miyako and Hawkmon separated a few months after their reunion. They made peace with it having faith that their bonds would allow them to meet again. Hikari and Takeru on the other hand, were still active as Chosen Children. Wallace had ever theorized that their partner Digimon were special as angels, hence, their service would be required longer than expected.

"How is Ichijouji-kun?" Hikari asked Miyako whose eyes were still on Daisuke and the kids. Miyako smiled a little and shook her head.

"He'll be fine just like you." They had their own demon to face.

Ken had a blow when he heard that there was a dimension his elder brother was living well and alive and possibly even now back in his own dimension. He wondered what he had done right in that dimension.

"There is no right or wrong. Just another inevitable possibility." Iori concluded. He felt that there could be a dimension even he could grow up with his father around. That would possibly change the way he lived.

"Hey, can you three come and help us?" Mimi could not help but to interrupt them. "The boys are dying!" The three of them rolled their eyes seeing how Koushirou and Jou messed up with flour spilled on the ground. They were good in their areas but definitely not in kitchen.

Tailmon helped to carry new bags of flour and assisted Sora in mixing. She looked proud to show Hikari her dough.

"Gomamon could have done better than you." Mimi pouted at Jou who scratched his head at the mess he made.

"I'm sorry. Gomamon was the one who cooked for me."

"Let's do this together." Takeru arrived with a broom. He had a cloth tied around his head, and Patamon was riding on his head. They were ready to fight their battles in the kitchen.

"I had finished checking in with the rest. My brother and the rest will be coming later." Takeru updated Sora. He made good his promise to her to make sure all to come. At least all those who were in Japan, not incapacitated, whether they still had their partner Digimon or not.

"Let us help out as well." Ken had arrived along with Oikawa Yukio.

"Oikawa-san too?" Miyako was impressed how Iori became good friends with him. His daughter had joined Daisuke who had another activity planned in the playroom.

"Pipimon wanted to play." Oikawa shared with them.

"I'm sorry." Iori apologized for pointing out the truth behind his daughter to him. Ken smiled apologetically as well.

"There is no need to, Iori. I know she isn't my daughter since she came back to life. As she's too young, no one could tell the difference." Oikawa intended to bring the secret to his grave. Miracles or not, Pipimon had arrived in the Real World when Oikawa's daughter was dying from an illness, she 'possessed' her body and kept her alive since. This was another mystery waiting for Koushirou to solve.

"Yes, I'm going to find a way to get our partners back one day." Koushirou said to everybody in the kitchen.

"Thanks to Koushirou, we have a huge space to party, let's not dwell on unhappy things." Mimi interrupted the whole group.

"Can we focus for now? We're running late." Sora reminded them of the time.

"Yes, ma'am!" Tailmon said on their behalf while she skillfully finished a set of cookies waiting to be put in the oven.

"She seems proud about it." Miyako whispered to Hikari who gave a forced smile. Tailmon was one who would give it her all if she felt right on it.

* * *

"Over here!" Nishijima Daigo waved at Yamato who had been waiting in the airport. Yamato had a relief expression when he saw Daigo and…

"Taichi. " Yamato greeted politely. Taichi wheeled Daigo over and meet up with Yamato. Taichi and Daigo came from the States.

"Yamato." Taichi greeted in response. Daigo found the two really awkward when he noticed how the two young men stared at each other without saying anything.

"Can the both of you act as though you're good friends? How many years has this been?" Daigo was getting impatient. He had heard how much Yamato would do to help Taichi when he was in a pinch. Now what? They were in peace.

"Shut up, old man." Taichi teased with a grin.

"O-old?" Daigo realized he was referring to him. "Yagami, are you trying to pick a fight?' next.

"You owe me one." Taichi could be really direct.

"Hey, who owe who?" Daigo argued back.

Yamato sweatdropped at the both of them. Many things happened after the battle with Yggdrasil and this Taichi seemed to be closer to Daigo and he could ever be. Taichi released the seal of Baihumon after Daigo passed him his Crest of Courage to release its power to the Digital World.

"How's your health?" Yamato asked Taichi as he wheeled their luggage's in a trolley beside them.

"I'll live." Was what Taichi always said. Yamato heard Taichi fought hard against Heliosmon who did something to him to heal his heart. Taichi did not share a lot. It took him some time to eventually recover and got discharged from hospital after six months of hospitalisation. Homeostasis had changed its mind about Taichi and would be curious to see what kind of future this change would bring.

"Yo, Daigo!" They came to the pick-up point where Yamada Kyoutarou arrived with a van to pick the few of them up.

"YO! Kyoutarou!" Daigo could sense he was trying to instigate him to start an argument. What were they? Big kids? Taichi and Yamato stared at them and to each other.

"Just get on the van. Other vehicles are waiting." Taichi reminded them with another car honking at them to move.

Taichi felt for his heartbeat on their journey to the place Koushirou and Wallace had arranged for Sora's dream gathering to take place. Yamato watched him carefully as Taichi was deep in his own thoughts while they were both deaf from the bickering between the two older men.

There was no heartbeat no matter what the medical assessment said. He died after the battle with Heliosmon. Heliosmon did something to him and the world and even Homeostasis was deceived.

* * *

***Flashback***

**Year 2010, Time Dungeon**

_Heliosmon was engaged in the battle with Yggdrasil who had taken merged with 2018's Taichi's hologram._

_The Chosen Children had arrived and reunited with them._

" _I'll find a way out of this." Koushirou said running off somewhere he could focus with HerculesKabuterimon guarding him._

" _Oniichan?" Hikari grabbed Taichi's hand trying to wake him up. Taichi had his hand clutching on his chest. It was clear he was in terrible pain yet he was struggling to keep himself alive. Somewhere at the other corner. Meicoomon leaped to Wallace and Daigo who was preparing an injection. She had shown herself and Daigo realized it was time._

" _Let me, Hikari-san." Wallace walked over. Hikari gasped when Wallace want to inject something unknown to his brother's heart._

" _This is the only way to extend his life for now." Meicoomon explained to Meiko's surprise. Meiko had all the memories from the various dimensions because of her powers and Meicoomon was wiser than she knew her since young._

" _Taichi-san could have a new future if things go well." Meiko said holding Hikari's hands to give her comfort._

" _After all, he is not in this alone, he has all of us this time." Mimi came over and squatted to Taichi's level._

" _We will guard you." Rosemon stretched her whip preparing to fight the Eosmon army which was approaching them._

" _I'm not sure if we should anyhow inject some unknown element to his body." Jou said pushing his glasses._

" _Jou is acting like a mother hen." Vikemon said teasingly._

" _I'm not Sora." Jou whined._

" _Everyone." Hikari found herself teared up. She could never help her brother out. She did not even know what he had been through._

" _Holydramon!" She saw her partner glowed._

" _They were vanishing." Takeru ran towards them in panic. Seraphimon was glowing and so was Rosemon and Vikemon._

" _Someone was calling them." Hikari had a sense._

* * *

**Real World**

_Back in the Real World, Omegamon from another dimension had arrived before Yamato whose eyes were locked on them intensely. Omegamon's weapon reminded him of MetalGarurumon and WarGreymon since they made up of his head._

" _Don't be surprised, Yamato. We're one of Gabumon's potential evolution." Omegamon was would be in charge of defending the Dimension Gate to the Time Dungeon. Yamato found himself teared up at the sight of Omegamon. He had heard of Omegamon but never had a chance to see Gabumon evolving to that level because of his foolishness._

" _You know, it's never your fault or anyone's fault. Gabumon of this dimension has a different possible evolution." Omegamon understood Yamato even though he was not the same Yamato who sent them here._

" _Our partners have a different mission so are you. That's the beauty of possibilities. They are endless and that brings us hope… "_

" _Right!" Omegamon started firing at the army of Eosmon which appeared suddenly with another portal open. He was unable to move much having to guard the portal._

" _Fools, did you think you can defy Yggdrasil's wishes?" Dark Gennai in Digmon Kaiser's form appeared and he had Sora held up to the air grabbing her by her throat._

" _SORA!" Yamato did not notice anyone creeping up on them._

" _All I need is to kill one of them. As expected, all of you are useless without your partner Digimon." Sora was grimacing in pain, her hands attempted to reach the man who was choking her to death._

" _Shall I just let her die in place of your best friend, boy? This could well guarantee his survival." Dark Gennai pulled out a pistol Yamada dropped earlier in Koushirou's office and he pressed the pistol point-blank to her chest where her heart was. This man was sick and he was likely going to do it._

" _NO, SORA!" Yamato and Omegamon were helpless to help Sora. Yamato swore he would kill him whatever it takes if he hurt Sora._

" _No, you don't!" Someone came and knocked Dark Gennai over and another girl helped Sora to safety. It was Ken and Miyako. Dark Gennai clicked his tongue when he saw the young man kicked his pistol to the sea at the bridge they stood._

_Yamato pulled Sora into his arms as soon as Miyako led her to him. She was still in shock, her eyes filled with tears. This had to be how Taichi felt in the face of death when Taichi was shot._

" _She has us!" Miyako declared raising her voice. Her voice slightly trembled._

" _We're never alone." Ken stood up in the face of the Digimon Kaiser he had forgotten. That was a dark side of his. Dark Gennai clicked his tongue and changed to his usual form as Gennai._

" _You're no fun. You don't know when to give up. But you will learn soon." Dark Gennai flicked his fingers. Omegamon raised his head and saw many other portals opened. More Eosmon was appearing._

" _Eosmon from various dimensions will arrive and take your consciousness. Very soon, all of you will find your peace after dancing like clowns." Dark Gennai laughed evilly._

" _And those in the dungeon would be lost forever!" The four of them gaped at Dark Gennai in horror. Dark Gennai then changed his form once more and standing before them was a Digimon they were familiar yet currently helpless against it._

" _Alphamon!"_

" _So this was his real form. " Omegamon realized. He found himself caught in between protecting the four of them or protect the portal with more Chosen Children had entered._

* * *

**Time Dungeon**

" _Taichi-san is waking up." Mimi cheered excitedly when they noticed he stirred and opened his eyes._

" _Hikari, Mimi?" Taichi tried to sit up with Hikari's help. Their partner Digimon had vanished._

" _They're helping out in the Real World." Galgomon walked over. He was the remaining partner Digimon who was unable to evolve to Ultimate level for now._

" _You mean my brother and the rest were in danger." Takeru realized._

" _It would seem so. Don't worry, Homeostasis knows what to do since your partner Digimon were summoned. We have our jobs to do." Cherubimon flew towards Taichi who stared up at him in confusion. They were going to where Koushirou was at his request._

* * *

**Real World**

" _In the face of Eosmon, what can you do? Be in despair, Chosen brats!" Alphamon waved his staff and sent Eosmon towards their direction._

" _We still do." Hackmon sat before Alphamon before he realized. Behind him was another group of Chosen Children from Japan chosen over the years such as the group with Dark Seed. Oikawa Yukio was also in the group._

_Omegamon glowed. He was calling out for more powers to keep the gate which had been shrinking open. Omegamon then changed its form. One angelic wing emerged from its body and Omegamon became white. Omegamon was beautiful. Miyako and Ken watched in awe._

" _We have one lesser member." Omegamon tried but they would make do with the powers they could gather in this dimension since Piyomon was not available. Sora looked down in shame. Yamato placed his hand on her shoulder to stop her from reproaching herself, to stop her from regretting from her decision she had made._

_Hackmon evolved into Jesmon and took on Alphamon. They have scores to settle. Oikawa helped Ken and the rest up. Their legs felt jelly. They had never felt such fear of helplessness since their adventure, they could not have lived without their partners._

" _Member from reboot team." Oikawa Yukio introduced himself. Hackmon had gathered them to support the Chosen Children who had saved the world before._

" _Don't you forget me?" A two-year old little girl walked towards them. That was his daughter._

" _Why're you here?" Oikawa wanted to carry his little girl when she glowed. Oikawa's eyes widen when he saw his daughter changed her form into a Digimon, his partner Pipimon._

" _I'm sorry, Yukio, I had been keeping a secret from you." Pipimon informed his partner. Unlike the others, Oikawa seemed unfazed after hearing what Pipimon had said. Iori and the rest knew about it too._

" _I knew, I always knew." Oikawa picked Pipimon up and hugged him for the very first time since his return from the reboot. Pipimon cried as he did. The others were feeling touched by the scene as Miyako cried in Ken's arms. But this was not time for this. The other Chosen Children's partner Digimon were already engaged in battles._

_Pipimon jumped into action. With the powers of their bonds, Pipimon could evolve as well._

" _Pipimon evolves…"_

* * *

**Time Dungeon**

" _All I have to do this and this. Why didn't I think of this earlier?" Koushirou had been muttering to himself as Galgomon fended him from an Eosmon._

" _I had modified Taichi-san's Digivice. This should allow him to control all Digivices that linked to Agumon and I had added something else..." Koushirou was concerned about Taichi's condition yet they were aware what they had to do._

" _Taichi-san, are you alright?" Cherubimon asked Taichi who was resting on his arms. Taichi opened his eyes upon hearing his voice._

" _I'll take you to them." Cherubimon informed Taichi who nodded weakly. The drug was taking effect and he was feeling better although he knew it was a cardiac stimulant at work and side-effect would come after that._

_Koushirou closed his eyes tightly resisting his tears from falling when he saw the angel Digimon off with Taichi. This could well be his last battle._

_Taichi taken a look of his Crest of Courage, Nishijima had entrusted him with. He clutched his fist with the crest with it. It was hard. Nishijima Daigo seemed to want to tell him something but the situation was to dire for him to even have time to talk to Taichi._

" _I entrust my hope to you." That was what he said._

***End Flashback***

* * *

**Year 2012, Real World**

On the surface they had won the battle despite undergoing threat by the new weapon the Incorporated Administrative Agency had unleashed at the final stage of the battle when they got involved by their Chief's order to move forward their plan in advance should things did not go according to their plan. As Omegamon had to keep the gate open, he was unable to defend himself when they were cornered by the Self-Defence Force. It took many Digimon fought with the risk of breaking off their bonds with their human partners fighting to evolve and evolve to render their weapons useless.

Even the people they had touched before such as Hikari's schoolmates, the baby carried by his mother, Daisuke had saved somehow made their way there with their new partner Digimon much to Yamato's dismay. Never underestimate the bonds between human and Digimon despite their age.

Omegamon looked sad when he was about to leave him back to their original dimension they came from. His last word was for him to find Taichi as they lost theirs. That was their last evolution.

Yamato did not know how much exactly they had lost. Before Taichi of his dimension before or after the loss of Gabumon, Yamato was never able to get Taichi on a heart-to-heart conversation, neither he knew what was on his mind.

They had arrived at their destination. Mimi practically jumped on Taichi to give him a hug before Hikari could approach him. The siblings had not seen each other for some time despite being in touch once in a while.

"You're in a mess." Taichi teased to only have Mimi pouted. She was covered with flour.

"I'll help you." Taichi offered Mimi and Hikari his hand. They were really in trouble with Sora throwing the boys out for making a mess.

"Hi, everyone!" Daigo greeted with Yamada. They were like their seniors since they were like 'pioneers' of the Chosen Children.

"How is Menoa Belucci?" Koushirou did not want to know but he just had to ask. She was found alive at the end of the battle within one of the Eosmon. She was planted inside for unknown reason and she could not remember what happened since she went missing that day.

"She's improving. We'll take care of her." That was what Daigo could share. Just leave it to them. Daigo did not know whether it was better for her not to remember. Daigo left Menoa under another Chosen Child's care so he could come here to see the children who used to be his students.

Yamada was a little disappointed that Yamato decided to pursue his dream to aim for the sky instead of detective work. However, Ichijouji Ken was interested to have him as his mentor. It was a consolation to Yamada who wished to have a 'successor' for a detective dream.

* * *

The group in the kitchen were stiffened to see Taichi and Yamato. It had been a long time since the whole group came together.

"Taichi-san! Taichi!" Koushirou and Jou were happy to see him. Sora was too engrossed with finishing up her baking that she did not notice everyone had stopped working.

"Sora-kun, see who had arrived." Jou called out to her.

"No, don't disturb me. I need to finish these before Yamato and Taichi are here." Sora just finished placing the last of the batch into the oven.

"Sora!" Sora paused and turned her head around.

"Sora." It was Taichi and Yamato. They came together. Sora smiled and gave the two boys a big hug.

"You did well, Sora." Yamato said looking away. It was a little difficult for him to say such things. She wanted a gathering, Yamato thought it was not easy since Taichi left Japan without a word leaving just the goggles to Daisuke not long after his discharge from the hospital. No one knew where he was. Maybe he left this dimension altogether. Yamato considered to travel between dimensions to find him but decided not to. Koushirou's experiment was unstable and Daisuke had lost the ability to open the dimension gate.

Taichi finally got in touch through Mochizuki Meiko who managed to find him in the States in her travels after resigning from her post in the Incorporated Administrative Agency. She connected Taichi and Hikari first. It took time for especially Taichi to warm up to them and the rest but with her constant encouragement, Taichi managed to contact them who were happy to hear from him. Meiko reminded him not to leave any regret as long as he lived. Taichi and Meiko had become really good friends as the actual Taichi from this dimension would have wanted.

"I'm sorry. I need some time to myself." Taichi explained to the group who forced him down on the sofa to talk.

"Oniichan, please don't do this to us again." Hikari said sitting beside Taichi holding his hands. She could not even tell her parents, not wanting to disappoint them. Hikari seemed relieved that she felt warmth from his hands. He was real, not digital data, he was well and alive.

"It was thanks to Taichi, the other Taichi and Osamu…" Taichi clutched his chest and the rest almost cried out worriedly. Taichi raised his hand to signal them not to worry. He was just feeling emotional all the sudden at the thought of his old and best friend.

Yggdrasil was defeated with the weapon, arrow of courage Koushirou had programmed into Taichi's Digivice to be used with the Crest of Courage and Cherubimon unleashed it after taking the arrow that hovered above it while Heliosmon kept him busy. Yggdrasil was shocked when his data was dispelled from the dissipating data of 2018's Taichi hologram. He reached out to the Crest of Miracles on his wrist when Heliosmon gave him a finishing blow.

"The job is done." That was the last words heard when Yggdrasil finally disappeared from their view.

With the threat eliminated, they turned their eyes to Taichi. They had to remove him who did not belong anywhere. It was an instinct implanted to them, likely by Homeostasis who finally had access to the Time Dungeon.

* * *

***Flashback***

**Year 2010, Time Dungeon**

_He was the one behind the assault of BlackWarGreymon and Digimon incidents involving the broken sign of friendship. Taichi sensed how awfully they resembled one another._

_Heliosmon was impressed by Taichi's relentless to finally reach him despite his difficulties in keeping up with them. By now, Taichi should be too weak to even stand and Taichi's body was wrecking in pain from his attack throwing him off distance. Taichi was relentless, no matter how many times he fell from his attacks, he picked himself up. Somehow, Heliosmon could not get himself to finish Taichi off._

_Taichi still struggled to stand up. He failed in his previous life which he had no control of. He did not want to waste this life BlackWarGreymon had fought for him._

_A portal opened and an Agumon fell out from it. That Agumon came from another dimension._

_"Taichi!" Agumon who was really worried about him, placing his claw over his hand which was clutching his chest. Agumon knew all about his ailment. Taichi smiled in acceptance. Seemed like Taichi from his dimension was like him, well-liked and brave._

_"As long as my heart is still beating, I'll not give up." Taichi accepted Agumon's help to help him up. Agumon was here to rescue his partner who had been corrupted and Taichi would support him to save him like the rest did for him._

_"Whoever become your partner is the luckiest Digimon." Agumon felt that Taichi was kind and brave, well-liked by everyone who knew him. He had something within him which could bring everyone together. A Chosen Child hard to find._

_Taichi smiled at Agumon holding up his or rather Kamiya Taichi's broken Digivice. A new evolution occurred. Taichi watched in awe. That was the legendary Agumon, Bond of Courage who only appeared in this dimension. They were ready to fight. This would be their final battle._

* * *

_Taichi managed to win them over. Heliosmon stopped his assault as Agumon, Bond of Courage had his fist punched through his chest. Agumon fought hard well trained by Osamu. He was determined to take Heliosmon down no matter what it takes. Never go easy on their enemies if they wanted to survive. Heliosmon groaned in pain as he collapsed, he was vanishing like Yggdrasil did._

_They were horrified to see Heliosmon still trying to stand up after his defeat and a hole in his chest. Taichi was feeling hopeless as Agumon, Bond of Courage was almost out of energy to keep fighting and reverted to his child form._

" _Agumon…" Heliosmon extended his hands, his body become translucent revealing the data who were in control of the Digimon._

" _Osamu, Taichi, how?" Agumon could not believe his eyes. He was here looking for Osamu and yet he was fighting Osamu. Taichi, another Taichi was with him._

" _You won, Agumon. That's all." Osamu said warily giving a fist pump to Taichi._

" _Our job is done here. The Time Dungeon is collapsing." Osamu raised his head noticing cracks within the dimensions. They were vanishing, likely returning to where they came from._

" _Taichi, you can finally return to where you came from." Osamu told him. Taichi shrugged, not saying anything. He needed to head to 2018, clutching the Crest of Miracles he retrieved from that obnoxious Digimon who somehow materialize it making an unknown wish and this place would be thrashed according to the wish he made. Taichi in 2018 was certainly dying without a soul now._

" _Take care, Osamu. Your life is probably a mess but I'm sure you can work things out." Taichi felt he should say this to him turning to Agumon, he continued, "Take good care of him, partner." Agumon found his body vanishing too. He was returning home with Osamu._

" _Agumon, I'm sorry." Taichi who fought with him apologized. He did not know who they were fighting and he did not expect Agumon to turn against his partner for his sake. He wanted to reach out to Osamu, his best friend from his time. As expected, he still have many things he wanted to share with him. He did not really want him to go._

_"What was past is over, you can't create them but we can create all kinds of futures. Let's create new memories together!."_

_"I had made many new memories, Osamu..."_ _Osamu, on the other hand chose to avert his eyes from him. Taichi realised his eyes were... filled with guilt?_

_The next moment, Taichi felt his chest tightened. His eyes widened he clutched his chest in pain as it throbbed. His heart was giving out on him any time now from the side effect of the drug._

" _TAICHI! TAICHI!" The Taichi and Osamu's Agumon who was vanishing cried out. Even Osamu turned his attention to Taichi who collapsed._ _Taichi collapsed with his eyes widened._ _He was still trying to reach out to Osamu, his hands extending to his direction._

 _Taichi smiled when he felt someone grabbing his hand before the sense of touch faded as he finally disappeared. He could barely see the boy in glasses. He was in tears, wasn't it?_ _Taichi could no longer hear their cries. After that it was a blur to Taichi until he found himself awake in the hospital after a month._

***End flashback***

* * *

**Year 2012, Real World**

The group had a wonderful time together. They made muffins, cookies, cakes and they tasted so good. Taichi was reminded the day he died with them by his side. Taichi walked out to the door. The snow was falling outside.

Taichi felt out of place even though the rest tried to make him feel at home. It was said that it was a miracle that his heart eventually healed on its own on surface but deep down, Taichi could not feel his own heartbeat.

He went around the world to find answers which he never did. Taichi did witness quite several heartwarming moments between Chosen Child and their partner Digimon while joining them on a journey including one to the Digital World with Nishijima Daigo to get a closure with his partner Digimon.

Even though they were separated, their bonds were never severed. They were always be in one another's mind. Maybe he would meet Agumon one day. He was granted a new life here and he would make the best out of it. That was Taichi thought when he looked up to the sky and hence, he came back to Japan with Daigo.

"A penny for your thought?" Yamato asked noticing Taichi leaving the room and he followed him.

"Just need a breather." Yamato pinched Taichi's nose all the sudden. Taichi yelped in response.

"I'm sorry, I cannot help it when I see your red nose, like a clown." Yamato said with a laugh.

"Like Piemon." Taichi blurted and Yamato stopped. That Digimon sure did a number on them.

"Taichi, I have something to say." Yamato grabbed Taichi by his shoulder for Taichi to look him into his eyes. This had been on his mind for many years.

"I'm sure you didn't know that you don't rely on others. But to rely on others doesn't mean that you are weak. It means trust. The courage you have for believing in others is your strength, isn't it? For you have already shown it to me." Yamato finally told Taichi what he had meant to let him know.

"I will become a friend you can always rely on. Please don't suffer alone in silence. At least please share your pain with me." Yamato declared feeling determined about it. Maybe he was not good enough now, but he would work hard towards it. Taichi closed his eyes with a gentle smile as he placed his hand over Yamato's on his own shoulder.

"Alright." Back then, Taichi thought he was strong when he was actually weak. He was aware that he could not win the final battle without everyone working together. Perhaps, there was a part of him who is strong after all. It took Ryo, Wallace and the rest to save the Time Dungeon while the other Chosen Children along with Yamato and the rest dealt with the threat in the Real World. Jesmon and Alphamon took their battles back to the Digital World and no one knew the outcome of the battle until the day one of the messengers would appear again to reveal the answers.

Yamato really got emotional when he heard Taichi's response.

"Idiot!" He muttered.

"What did you say?" Taichi felt a little annoyed.

"Hey, the two of you!" Sora appeared behind them with her hands on her waist. She heard them and she felt they were going to start fighting if she did not say something.

"I'm sorry." Taichi said looking away from her.

"So am I." Yamato apologized as well.

"That's my good boys!" Sora ran to them and locked her arms with the two of them.

"Sora is really a mother." Taichi whispered to Yamato.

"Did you say anything?" Sora glared at Taichi.

"No ma'am!" The boys broke free from Sora and took off before she blew up on them.

Hikari and Takeru laughed at the sight along with Daisuke and his team. In fact, everyone had witnessed that scene including the new kids.

The past was fixed but not the future. The potential is limitless. Life was full of possibilities. As long as you keep the light in your heart and hold the power to realise your dream, all will be well.

* * *

**Time Dungeon**

"Don't you think it's amazing, how the possibilities are endless?" Wallace asked Ryo in the aquarium in the Time Dungeon. He had arrived with the twin Digimon to meet up with Ryo and Monodramon. He was always amused by the lives underwater.

"Is it alright for us to stay here?" Wallace expressed his concern.

Two years ago, Yggdrasil fought with Heliosmon and the travelers eventually overpower his hologram with Izumi Koushirou defeating the technology his future-self came up with.

"It's all within Rasielmon's prediction. She claimed to have seen all the possibilities and for this dimension, this is the best way to go." Monodramon explained to two young men.

"Now she's a having the time of her life with Mochizuki who is travelling round the world as Meicoomon. Are you sure you're not playing into her hands? She said she wouldn't know what would happen in the process of achieving the end she seen." Terriermon asked Ryo who had been helping her without knowing her identity.

"I took a plunge, but it did turn out well. Yagami Taichi is well and alive for now." Ryo turned to Wallace who nodded. Wallace recalled how he and Daigo injected a medicine received from Ryo who got it from Rasielmon into Taichi to help him feel better to fight against Heliosmon.

That was the same drug used by Ichijouji Osamu on Taichi in his own dimension and that eventually killed Taichi when he had his own medicine to complete the course of chemical reaction causing his ailing heart which had already overexerted itself to slow down and give out on him.

"Yagami must have moved Heliosmon. A new crest had appeared in place of his heart which had stopped keeping him alive and all is well." Ryo said tugging his hands into his pocket.

"You and I know this is not over. The adventure continues in another world, Ryo-san." Wallace said to his friend as he changed his look to his fellow Tamer from the Tamers' dimension, Lee Jenrya. They nodded at Mochizuki Meiko and Meicoomon who arrived and met up with them in acknowledgment. They needed to save Motomiya Daisuke who supposedly have the dimension key in this dimension.

* * *

**Year 2012, Real World**

Indeed, all Digimon vanished in one night including Oikawa's memory of his daughter who disappeared into the thin air. No one realized or noticed it and the mystery was never looked into. It was like Digimon had never appeared in the Real World and the adventure with Digimon never happened.

The others whose lives were touched by the Chosen Children and their partner Digimon, they sensed something when it happened but unlike a little boy, they moved on with their lives. The boy, now a two years old toddler woke up. He stared out of the window after sensing something. He was the baby Daisuke saved.

"Daishuki-niihan..."

Daisuke was rescued by Ryo's group before a certain wish took effect on him. They would journey to another dimension in another timeline, eight years down the road.

* * *

**Year 2018**

Taichi shut his laptop's lid with a sigh. It had been a long day at work once again but it was fulfilling. Staring out of the window in his office, Taichi had a reflection. He took a short-cut to this dimension, now older than he really was.

He took a glimpse on his wrist and still wondering what wish Yggdrasil had made back then on his Crest of Miracles. To think a crest accepted a Digimon's wish. Taichi tried to reverse it back then but he had no way to know and the crest would not accept vague wish. The crest disappeared after he made it to this dimension.

All Taichi knew was the dimension gate was closed and there was no way he could travel again. He turned back to his laptop when he realized something. Taichi sat down and typed quickly giving up after an hour including checking up on Koushirou, Kido Shuu and Professor Takenouchi Haruhiko.

"He sure had done it. His wish had come true." Taichi realized in horror. He was an ambassador of between two countries. There was nothing on Digimon. It was like their experience vanished without a trace.

It was then he saw Mochizuki Meiko at the door in fear, for they were the only ones who remembered their experiences with Digimon as Chosen Children.

**FIN**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As for the ending, I will leave it to reader's imagination.
> 
> Thank you once again for reading.


End file.
